CHENNAI: Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister L Murugan and state president Nainar Nagenthran, on Thursday came down heavily on MDMK general secretary Vaiko over the alleged assault on journalists during the party's executive council meeting in Sattur, Virudhunagar district, on Wednesday.
Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L Murugan criticised the incident, stating, "While Vaiko was addressing the gathering, MDMK cadres launched an unprovoked attack on journalists. Several reporters sustained injuries. Individuals holding political life must maintain decorum in public forums. I urge the police to promptly register a case and take stringent action against the perpetrators."
Echoing similar sentiments, BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran strongly condemned Vaiko's remarks and the subsequent violence.
"It is deeply disturbing that Vaiko, a veteran in Tamil Nadu politics, rebuked media personnel for photographing vacant chairs at the meeting and allegedly incited violence against them. This behaviour is unbecoming of a senior leader," Nagenthran said in a statement posted on social media.
He further demanded that Chief Minister MK Stalin take immediate action against the MDMK functionaries involved in the assault and called on Vaiko to apologise to the journalists — Manivannan (Polimer TV), Jayaraman (Tamil Janam TV), Karuppusamy (Thanthi TV), and Bala (News Tamil TV) — who were reportedly targeted.
BJP leader K Annamalai also denounced the incident, stating, "It is reprehensible that Vaiko irresponsibly provoked an attack on media professionals. He must personally extend his apologies to the affected journalists. Law enforcement must take swift and decisive action against the culprits."
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