Tamil Nadu: Journalists protest outside BJP HQ over senior leader’s FB post abusing women scribes

Senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu S Ve Shekher today said his Facebook post, which courted controversy a day before, was shared “by mistake”.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: April 20, 2018 4:11:46 pm

Tamil Nadu: Journalists protest outside BJP HQ after party leader Shekhar's FB post abusing women scribes

Chennai: Over 100 journalists protesting outside the TN BJP headquarters demanding action against senior leaders H Raja and S Ve Shekher. (Source: Arun Janardhanan)

Police security was tightened after over 100 journalists protested outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in Tamil Nadu demanding action against leaders H Raja and S Ve Shekher for their abusive and insulting remarks against women journalists. A petition is likely to be submitted to the BJP state president in this regard.

Senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu S Ve Shekher today said his Facebook post, which courted controversy a day before, was shared “by mistake”. The BJP leader apologised and expressed surprise that people who were sharing screenshots of it did not find it offensive. His post had read: “Media people are the cheap, lowly, ugly, vulgar beings of Tamil Nadu.” Also Read: Day after TN Governor apology, BJP leader shares FB post abusing women journalists

Journalists, protesting outside BJP HQ in Tamil Nadu, hold posters of BJP leader Shekhar. (Source: Arun Janardhanan)

Shekher, who spoke to The Indian Express on Thursday, had said he did not read the entire post — credited to “Thirumalai S” — before he shared it. “I will never abuse anyone. I wanted to delete that post, but Facebook has blocked it. I cannot access my account for the next 24 hours,” he had said. Shekhar said Thirumalai, a resident of the US, is a “strong BJP supporter” of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two had met during the BJP leader’s visit to the country. Also Read: BJP leader says FB post abusing journalists was shared ‘by mistake’, offers apology

Journalists, protesting outside BJP HQ in Tamil Nadu. (Source: Arun Janardhanan)

Shekher’s FB post came in the wake of Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s apology to a woman journalist for patting her cheek during a press conference in Chennai. His entire Facebook post had read, “This ugly truth has come out through the complaints raised recently. These are the (using a derogatory word) women who have come out to question the Governor. Media people are the cheap, lowly, ugly, vulgar beings of Tamil Nadu. There are only few exceptions. I respect only them. Otherwise, the whole of TN media is in a regressive path caught in the hands of criminals, rascals, blackmailers.”

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