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Media awash with scary reports, says Kodiyeri

Thiruvananthapuram: Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said here on Tuesday that the media should be mindful of publishing fabricated and dubiously sourced reports which suggested, in most cases incorrectly, increasing involvement of Keralites in terrorist activities and serial bomb blasts in the country.

Interacting with presspersons here, Mr. Kodiyeri said such false reports would serve only those aiming to portray the largely peaceful and law-abiding Keralites in a negative light.

He cited as evidence a report which appeared in a regional daily recently. He said the report, quoting anonymous sources, said two Keralites were involved in the recent blasts in Assam.

On the basis of the published report, the State police intelligence contacted their counterparts in Assam which said there was no evidence so far. The Assam police even suggested in writing that those who published such baseless reports be prosecuted.

Mr. Kodiyeri noted with concern that the media were awash with such baseless reports recently.

One suggested that a Tamil militant leader was in Kerala. Another said terrorists were training 64 Keralites in subversion in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Another report said that a Lashkar-e-Taiba (a terrorist outfit) commander visited Kerala this year.

Most of the reports were attributed to unnamed sources in the Intelligence Bureau. The State police were in regular touch with the agency. It had not got any report from the bureau confirming the news items which appeared in the media.

He said the media should be careful and responsible while reporting matters relating to terrorism and subversive activities. It should not stoop to scare-mongering.

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