Journalists in Kerala stage public protest against Union Minister Suresh Gopi

Union Minister Suresh Gopi (file)
| Photo Credit: ANI

Journalists across Kerala are set to take to the streets on Tuesday (November 12, 2024) protesting against actor-turned-politician and Union Minister Suresh Gopi for his “abhorrent behaviour” towards mediapersons.

The incident in which Mr. Gopi allegedly shouted at a television journalist who sought the Union Minister’s response on the Munambam land issue is the latest incident that provoked the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) to call for Statewide protests on the day. The district committees of KUWJ are also meeting on the day to condemn the incident.

The journalists’ union alleged that the Minister tried to “scold” a television journalist, who sought his response on an issue and even asked his security officer to record the incident on his mobile phone. The television channel had also alleged that the Minister even attempted to threaten the journalist.

In a strongly worded letter, KUWJ State president K.P. Reji and general secretary Suresh Edappal alleged that the Union Minister was “yet to get rid of the hangover of his superhero characters of action movies” that set the cinema halls afire. Mr. Gopi should apologise to the Kerala society and mend his ways. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP shall take steps to end the “abominable behaviour” of the Union Minister, they demanded.

The relationship between the Union Minister and journalists in Kerala, which had turned sour with the journalists objecting to his ways of responding to their queries, hit rock bottom when a woman journalist filed a police complaint against the Union Minister a few months ago for allegedly placing his hand on her shoulder disregarding her objection to it. The Union Minister had defended his action by terming it as “an affectionate gesture.”

Later, he filed a complaint against journalists in Thrissur for allegedly blocking his way and obstructing his security personnel from discharging their duties.

The repeated attempts to get a response from Mr. Gopi failed. Sources close to him said the Minister, who was leading the Indian delegation to the G7 meeting, was on his way to Italy to attend the conference.