A journalist working with Tamil news channel Thanthi TV was suspended after he had a face-off with Bharatiya Janata party's state president K Annamalai during a press conference. The confrontation was over a question the reporter asked on the speculation that Annamalai had met DMK leader Senthil Balaji's brother in London. Annamalai who recently visited the United Kingdom returned to Chennai on June 28, Wednesday and met reporters at the Chennai International Airport.
Though sources in the channel’s management say that the reporter named Mahesh has been suspended temporarily, a source in the editorial said that he has been asked to hand over his identity card as his termination may be sought. He covered the BJP beat for the channel.
It is to be noted that Senthil Balaji was arrested earlier this month by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a transport job scam case. Properties owned by Senthil Balaji, his brother, and his associates were subjected to the raid by ED.
The video of the confrontation shows Annamalai repeatedly asking the reporter for the source of his information and asks if CM MK Stalin or his wife Durga personally called him to give the information. Annamalai also berates the reporter and says his questions makes him sound like a Class 8 student.
"You are working with Thanthi TV which has a legacy. You need to ask well-structured questions to the party president and it should not be like laymen or school students" Annamalai said, as he persisted to seek the source of the information. Annamalai also asked Mahesh whether he got this information from School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi or Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
"As a journalist, you should have basic common sense, right? Journalists should also know how the passport system functions and what immigration control system is, " Annamalai added further. "When you represent a TV, uphold the values of your channel", Annamalai said adding that the viewers may think, after watching such questions being asked, how Thanthi TV could hire journalists who pose such questions. Annamalai said the reporter’s question was foolish and by way of giving an example of a stupid question asked if the reporter was paid Rs 1000 by the DMK to pose questions to Annamalai.
Annamalai was condemned by leaders from DMK and its alliance parties meanwhile Mahesh was suspended from the TV. According to sources, an inquiry committee meeting was held by the Thanthi TV administration.