M A I N   N E W S

Loksatta editor’s house attacked
Tribune News Service/ PTI

Mumbai, June 5
Activists of the Shiv Sangram Sanghathana today attacked the residence of Kumar Ketkar, editor of Loksatta newspaper, allegedly in reaction to an editorial penned by him in the newspaper on the Maharashtra government’s decision to build a memorial to Shivaji Maharaj.

Members of the organisation led by one Vinayak Mete gathered at Ketkar's residence in Thane city and smeared black paint on the walls and damaged property. According to the police, the incident happened at around 10.30 am. Ketkar and his wife, who were present on the premises, escaped unhurt.

The police said, about 50 persons had gathered outside Ketkar’s residence and burnt copies of Loksatta in protest before carrying out the attack.

Ketkar later defended his editorial saying he had questioned the government’s decision to spend money on the statue in the Arabian Sea. He added that the editorial argued that the money be spent on public welfare. Ketkar, who is known for his blunt editorials had hit out at the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party for trying to use the name of Shivaji for political purposes.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh condemned the attack and has instructed the concerned officials to take action against the culprits.

Editors Guild condemns attack
Tribune News service

Chandigarh, June 5
Alok Mehta, president, and K. S. Sachidananda Murthy, secretary-general of the Editors Guild of India, New Delhi, in a press note received here have condemned the attack on the residence of Kumar Ketkar, Editor of Loksatta, allegedly in reaction to an editorial penned by him in the newspaper on the Maharashtra government’s decision to build a memorial to Shivaji Maharaj.

The statement said, “The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the violent attack on the residence of Kumar Ketkar, Editor of Loksatta and a member of the Guild Executive Committee, at Thane today. Mr Ketkar was targeted by an unlawful mob provoked by powerful personalities in Maharashtra. They were intolerant of an independent editorial penned by Mr Ketkar. In a democracy, every editor and journalist has the unfettered right to express his or her views on public issues. Such independent views need not necessarily meet the approval of dominant groups and personalities in the government and politics; and they cannot attack the editor for expressing such views. The Guild expects stringent action against those who vandalised the residence of Mr Ketkar. The Maharashtra government should ensure that no one, however powerful they might be, should threaten the freedom of the press.”