Chennai Journalists Attacked at Madras High Court Function

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

CHENNAI, India — City Journalists particularly those belonging to electronic media were on the receiving end, when they went to cover the function of the unveiling of the statue of B.R. Ambedkar, India’s first law minister, architect of Indian constitution, at the Madras High Court premises on Sunday, April 26.

The journalists were attacked in presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan and a host of other senior judicial officers  present at the high profile function.   

The attack was a fall out of a clash between the two groups of lawyers opposing each other. A section of lawyers waved black flags and shouted slogans against Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, demanding action against the police officials responsible for last year's clash in the High Court premises. Another group of lawyers objected to that.

Camera crews of private news channels started filming the clash and invited the wrath of the clashing lawyers. The advocates chased and attacked the journalists, resulting in injuries to them.

The Madras Union of Journalists (MUJ) condemned the attack. “It was shocking that journalists who were discharging their professional duty were physically attacked for filming scenes of violence during a clash between two groups of advocates,” MUJ said in a statement.

“Even more shocking is the fact that policemen, who were present at the scene, did nothing to prevent the attack. The police mutely watched as the journalists were verbally abused, assaulted, and their television cameras snatched and smashed on the ground,” the MUJ said.  

The MUJ demanded immediate arrest of those involved in the attack on the journalists as the assailants were caught on the camera, and were easily identifiable. It also demanded compensation for the media persons who received injuries and for the equipments that were damaged.  

NDTV-Hindu and Jaya TV journalists who had received injuries filed complaints with the High Court police over the attacks on them.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, regretted attack on the journalist. “Such an incident would not recur. Better security would be provided to journalists,” Karunanidhi said.