Senior BJP leader and MLA S. Suresh Kumar on Tuesday reacted sharply to CPI(M) member Pinarayi Vijayan’s post for reproducing a false media report of a Keralite student being attacked over eating beef in Bengaluru.
Suresh Kumar said in his post, “It was surprising that some media houses in Kerala had initially reported that the students were attacked for eating beef. Later they have realised that it was a rumour and corrected the news, quoting students and police.
Here is the facebook post by former Kerala State Secretary of CPI(M) and Polit bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan, repeating the false news, that the students were attacked for eating beef.
He has not corrected his FB post hitherto. I wish, responsible leaders like him should stay away from posting such things based on rumours which may instigate violence.
Keralalites are safe here in Bengaluru. They all are our brothers and sisters only. We never misbehave with people on the basis of linguistic difference.
Request CPI(M) leader Mr. Vijayan to correct his statement and apologize. Is it too much to expect from a communist leader?
Or if Mr Pinarayi wants to use this LIE as an Election Propaganda material, that is another matter.”
This is his complete post.
The incident occurred on Friday night when a gang of four people allegedly attacked a group of three students in Bhoopasandra area. But, the issue was twisted out of context by some media agencies into one which involved consumption of beef.
Hashir, a neigbhour who is known to the students, told The News Minute that beef was not the issue and the actual altercation was over some other matter.
The reason for the attack is not clear. But, the altercation is believed to have started after a tyre was punctured in the area and the students were held responsible for it but there is no official confirmation of the same.
Hashir said, “The bike had a Kerala registration and it was parked in front of a shop. There was an altercation between the bike owners and others. I was asked by someone to come down and calm them down. This group then arrived and asked ‘Are you a Malayali?’ to which one of the students said yes and he was beaten up.”
He added, “One of the students Mervin Michael Joy received 9 stitches to his head after being beaten with a bamboo stick. He was taken to Bowring hospital for treatment.”