Probe if our journalists took favour of Tamil Nadu: Kerala editors to CM Chandy

Scribes allegedly wrote news in favour of TN on inter-state water disputes after taking favours.

In an unusual development,editors of three leading Malayalam dailies have jointly demanded from Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy a probe into an Intelligence report that their journalists wrote news in favour of Tamil Nadu on inter-state water disputes after taking favours from a Tamil Nadu government employee.

The editors who approached Chandy are Malayala Manorama managing editor Philip Mathew,Mathrubhumi managing editor P V Chandran and Kerala Kaumudi managing director M S Ravi.

Last week,Malayalam newspapers and television channels carried news items about the Intelligence report regarding leaking of details of inter-state water disputes from the Kerala secretariat. The report of Intelligence head T P Senkumar had said that Tamil Nadu public relations officer Unnikrishnan,a native of the state capital,has been operating at Kerala secretariat for Tamil Nadu. He has developed an active system for gathering information from the secretariat and enjoys clout among officers and staff of the ministers. It said he had helped bureaucrats in their family trips to Tamil Nadu and helped their wards get admission in various course in that state.

Last Friday,the Chief Minister had said the government would look into the matter.

What is interesting is that the above stated dailies and channels,except Surya TV of Sun network,blacked out a portion referring to Unnikrishnans alleged relation with reporters of Malayala Manorama,Mathrubhumi and Kerala Kaumudi. The intelligence report had stated that Unnikrishnan enjoyed influence among the reporters of these dailies and he had helped them during their trips to Tamil Nadu and for their childrens admission in Tamil Nadu colleges. As a quid pro quo,the intelligence report said,he used to inform Tamil Nadu officers about some pro-Tamil Nadu reports on water disputes appearing in these dailies.

Later,the issue was widely reported in Malayalam online media and CPM daily Deshabhimani wrote an editorial,blaming the dailies.

The editors,in their letter to Chandy,said mentioning of the names of the dailies could be seen a threat to independent journalism. The letter demanded that the government should reveal the details of reporters,if anyone,who had taken favours from Tamil Nadu. Based on the letter,Chandy has asked the chief secretary to look into the matter.