Office bearers of the Meyvazhisabha, an interreligious ashram in Pudukottai, have approached the chief minister’s cell seeking action on an FIR filed against a private news channel that allegedly telecast a defamatory programme about the ashram.
No concrete action was taken against the nine people named in the FIR so far, said Bashir Mohammed, 60, the head of the ashram, though an FIR was registered in November 2009 at Ganesh Nagar police station in Pudukottai.
“Since then we have been running from pillar to post seeking action. Now finally we have approached the CM’s cell with our petition seeking action against the channel,” he said on Thursday.
It was a deliberate act by the channel to defame the ashram and members. “They did it to tease and humiliate ashram followers,” he said. The ashram, which began in 1936 had been running so far with a clean image.
“Lodging a complaint against the channel and getting an FIR itself was an Herculean task,” Bashir Mohammed recalled. “We thought the police was not taking any action against the channel because of its political connection during the DMK regime.”
“However, even after the change of rule, police seems to be taking a lethargic approach towards our case. Only after we petitioned the CM’s cell did they take it seriously,” he added.