Scribe attacked during protest against textbooks in Karnataka

Home minister Araga Jnanendra issued instructions to identify and act against those responsible

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra directed the police to take action against persons who assaulted the representative of a media outlet during the Freedom Park protest over the new school textbooks on Saturday.

“I condemn the inhuman attack on a journalist who was covering the protest at Freedom Park. The incident was perpetrated by a mindset that is against democracy and press freedom. I have asked officials to take this seriously and initiate proper legal action," Jnanendra said in a statement.

"A case has been filed and I’ve issued instructions to identify and act against those responsible for this as soon as possible,” he said.

The attack caught on video showed pro-Kannada activists beating and tearing the clothes of reporter-videographer Teja Thimmappa of Samvada (Vishwa Samvad Kendra), which is linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Samvada’s YouTube channel has over three lakh subscribers. The mob accused Thimmappa of disrupting their protest against the “saffronisation” of textbooks.