MANGALORE: Non-BJP parties, including the CPI(M) and others, will stage a protest soon against the arrest and handcuffing of chairman and MD of Chitra Publications -- the publisher of Kannada eveninger Karavali Ale.
CPI(M) district Secretary B Madhava told mediapersons at the Srinivas hotel in Mangalore on Tuesday, that Seetaram’s arrest was an attack on freedom of the press.
The press is the fourth pillar of democracy, but unfortunately it has become the target of a vindictive campaign, he said. “Even copies of Karavali Ale were burnt and news vendors selling copies were attacked by unidentified miscreants,” he said. He strongly protested the arrest and handcuffing of B V Seetharam. It is a violation of the Supreme Court verdict and infringes on human rights too, he said.
“It is a state-governmentsponsored action against Seetharam,” he alleged, and declared that a protest would be staged against this and in support of the freedom of press. DCC vice-president Ivan D’Souza, said that the incident had proved that it was not just the press that was under threat, but democracy was endangered too. He said: “It’s a shame that newspaper vendors are now scared to sell Karavali Ale in the market in a democratic country like India.” JD(U) state secretary Francis D’Souza, Bantwal MLA Ramanath Rai, KPCC member Ashwin Kumar, JD(S) state v-p J S Narohna and CPI secretary B Krishnappa, present on the occasion, expressed solidarity to the protest planned in city.
Seetharam in hospital Udupi: Senior journalist B V Seetharam, who is in judicial custody till January 17, has been admitted to the government hospital at Ajjarkad.
Seetharam has diabetes and high blood pressure and is under medication. Dr Dayanand Nayak, surgeon, has advised him rest till Wednesday.
Condemned Udupi District Working Journalists’ Association condemned the arrest of Seetharam and termed it a black spot on democracy and attack on the freedom of press.
“Bringing a senior journalist like Seetharam, handcuffed and chained to court amounts to violation of his human rights. We demand immediate action against the guilty police officials,” stated a release.
Meanwhile, several progressive organisation are charting out plans to hold a mega protest rally in Udupi to condemn Seetharam’s arrest.