SFI activists barge into Malayalam news channel office, intimidate staff over 'fake news'

News Network

March 4, 2023

Kochi, Mar 4: A group of Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists allegedly trespassed into the office of Malayalam news channel Asianet News here and intimidated the staff over a news report telecast about the sexual assault of a girl, police said here.

A case was registered on Friday against around 30 activists of the SFI, the student wing of the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the TV channel.

According to the complaint, the SFI activists allegedly entered the office around 8 pm on Friday by raising slogans against the news channel after pushing aside the security staff and intimidated its employees, the police said.

CPI(M) sources on Saturday alleged that there was a complaint against the news channel for allegedly creating a fake news using a minor girl about alleged sexual assault of over 10 girl students at a school in northern Kerala. Sources in the SFI Ernakulam District Committee sought to justify the action by claiming that the student outfit organised the march to the Kochi office of the media house in protest against fake news run by it.

The news channel had run the story as part of its programme last year on the drug menace in the state. Police said the activists have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 149 (forming an illegal assembly for the prosecution of a common object of murder).

Criticising the SFI action, the Press Club of India urged the Kerala government to launch an investigation into the incident. "We express concern and lodge our protest over SFI activists reportedly entering the @AsianetNewsML office in Ernakulam and intimidating the staff. These strong-arm tactics have no place in a democracy. The Kerala government should probe this incident swiftly," the Press Club of India said in a tweet on Friday.

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Nati koli saaru, fry, idli, vada and pongal on Siddaramaiah’s breakfast menu at DKS’ residence

News Network

December 2,2025

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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