The Chennai Police on Thursday arrested four persons suspected to be have bombed the office of Tamil television news channel, Puthiya Thalaimurai, the previous night.
The men all belong to a little-known group called the Hindu Illaignar Sena, The Hindu reported. More crude bombs were also seized from the outfit's premises.
The bombing took place at around 3 am on Wednesday. CCTV footage showed four men on bikes hurling two country-made bombs at the office.
This incident comes in the wake of aggressive protests by several Hindutva groups angered by a show that was to debate the traditional practice of married woman wearing a thaali or mangalsutra. The show was to have been telecast last Sunday, which was marked as International Woman’s Day. However, following the protests, the channel decided against airing the show.
Even Bharatiya Janata Party National Secretary H Raja had opposed the airing of the show. “Why should this channel be allowed to air the show?" he told The News Minute. "What is the need to discuss the relevance of the thaali? Will the same channel discuss the Purdah for Muslim women or if Christian nuns should wear the cross?”
On Sunday, in spite of the decision to not air the show, Hindutva activists protested outside the office of the channel and assaulted an employee, leading to him being hospitalised.
Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, has condemned the attack. DMK Treasurer MK Stalin tweeted a condemnation of the bombing, while party leader Kanimozhi raised the incident in the Rajya Sabha, connecting it to the larger issue of freedom of expression in Tamil Nadu.
In recent weeks, Hindutva groups in the states have attacked two writers, Perumal Murugan and Puliyur Murugesan, for their views on Tamil society.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting RS Rathore also condemned the attack.
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The men all belong to a little-known group called the Hindu Illaignar Sena, The Hindu reported. More crude bombs were also seized from the outfit's premises.
Madurai (TN): Person who hurled bomb at HQ of Tamil News Channel Puthiya Thalaimurai, surrenders in Court pic.twitter.com/XcLGGIytbP
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2015The bombing took place at around 3 am on Wednesday. CCTV footage showed four men on bikes hurling two country-made bombs at the office.
This incident comes in the wake of aggressive protests by several Hindutva groups angered by a show that was to debate the traditional practice of married woman wearing a thaali or mangalsutra. The show was to have been telecast last Sunday, which was marked as International Woman’s Day. However, following the protests, the channel decided against airing the show.
Even Bharatiya Janata Party National Secretary H Raja had opposed the airing of the show. “Why should this channel be allowed to air the show?" he told The News Minute. "What is the need to discuss the relevance of the thaali? Will the same channel discuss the Purdah for Muslim women or if Christian nuns should wear the cross?”
On Sunday, in spite of the decision to not air the show, Hindutva activists protested outside the office of the channel and assaulted an employee, leading to him being hospitalised.
Tamil Nadu’s main opposition party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, has condemned the attack. DMK Treasurer MK Stalin tweeted a condemnation of the bombing, while party leader Kanimozhi raised the incident in the Rajya Sabha, connecting it to the larger issue of freedom of expression in Tamil Nadu.
I condemn the bomb attack on Puthiya Thalaimurai office.Perpetrators of this attempt to threaten media freedom should be brought to justice.
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 12, 2015
In recent weeks, Hindutva groups in the states have attacked two writers, Perumal Murugan and Puliyur Murugesan, for their views on Tamil society.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting RS Rathore also condemned the attack.
But no one is allowed to take law on to their own hands: RS Rathore on Puthiya Thalaimurai office attacked issue pic.twitter.com/FGMXmFuIUr
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2015