New Delhi, July 9 : The Editors Guild of India today strongly condemned the threats issued to K. Gopalakrishnan, Editor, Mathrubhumi Malayalam, by leaders of the CPI(M) and its frontal organisations in Kerala.
It also condemned the appearance of anonymous posters in Kerala warning that Gopalakrishnan would be framed with lewd charges.
It described the purported attack on Gopalakrishnan as a crude and irresponsible reaction to the journalistic work of the newspaper.
The Guild had earlier expressed its distress over the atmosphere of intolerance bred by the ruling party against the media in Kerala.
The threats of retaliation and punishment issued by CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to the Mathrubhumi newspaper are a direct affront to the freedom of the press, it said.
The Guild demanded an immediate end to the intimidatory tactics against Mathrubhumi and called upon the Government of Kerala to ensure that there is full protection to Gopalakrishnan and journalists of Mathrubhumi.
It also called for necessary legal action to be taken against those adopting such reprehensible tactics against the media.
It expressed confidence that the media and civil society in Kerala would take steps to safeguard the freedom of the press in the state.
The press statement was issued by Alok Mehta, President, and K.S. Sachidananda Murthy, Secretary General, Editors Guild of India.
