Scribes stage protest against S Ve Shekher's Facebook post

Chanting slogans and hurling stones, journalists today staged a protest at the residence of actor-turned-BJP politician S Ve Shekher after he shared a post that contained derogatory references to media and women scribes.

A senior police official said journalists attacked Shekher's Mandaiveli house here during the protest, following which 30 of them were taken into custody.

Nobody was injured in the incident, the official said.

Shekher was reportedly not present in the house when it was attacked. Some posters put up at the house were, however, damaged.

Earlier, members of various media organisations staged a protest near the state BJP headquarters demanding action against Shekher.

Earlier, an outraged journalist fraternity denounced the actor-politician over the post, forcing the former MLA to tender an apology.

Shekher was AIADMK MLA of Mylapore in 2006-11.

The slogan-shouting journalists held placards including those that said "vitriol" against media should stop.

"No more vitriol. #Boycottshekher," one placard read, while another urged women in the BJP to "speak up."

In the line of media fire, Shekher earlier said he had forwarded a friend's post "without reading" the content, and tendered an apology.

The message was forwarded "without reading the content, by mistake... was unintentional. When it was pointed out by a friend that the content was abusive, it was removed immediately," he said.

"I come from a family that respects women and women journalists. If I had hurt anyone in the very few minutes of (sharing) that post... it was not on purpose and (I express) my heartfelt apologies," he said.

However, the apology did not smooth the ruffled feathers of journalists who decided to protest.

The Facebook post was reportedly shared yesterday, but was found removed later.

The post also made insinuations against the media and women journalists following the "patgate" row involving Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The 78-year-old governor had patted a woman journalist on the cheek earlier this week, apparently seeking to avoid answering a question she asked.

The incident had triggered a furore with Lakshmi Subramanian, the journalist, remonstrating with the governor, and political parties, including the main opposition DMK, demanding his recall.

Purohit later apologised to the woman journalist.

Shekher's post also had some caustic references to Subramanian that drew condemnation from journalists.

The actor-politician said he did not endorse the views expressed in the post he shared.

The Chennai Union of Journalists denounced Shekher over the post, with many of its members taking to Twitter and Facebook to express their anger.

Meanwhile, some people have also filed a police complaint against Shekher.