Thrissur: Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi filed a complaint with the Thrissur City police commissioner on Wednesday, alleging that media personnel obstructed his path at the Ramanilayam guest house.
Earlier on the day, Congress leader and former Wadakkancherry MLA Anil Akkara also filed a complaint against Gopi, saying that the latter pushed a journalist on Tuesday while seeking the minister's response about the rising Me Too allegations in the Malayalam cinema industry. A team led by the Thrissur City Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) has already started a probe into that plaint and directed both Gopi and Anil to appear on Thursday to provide their statements.
Cops will also take statements from the journalists present during the incident.
While asked about the emerging sexual abuse allegations in Malayalam cinema, Gopi on Tuesday said that "they were just fodder for the media." "You (media) can make money out of it. You are bringing down a major institution. You are like people making goats fight and then drinking their blood. The media is misleading the public's mindset," he added then.
He also chose the occasion to teach reporters his version of journalism. He said he was on a private visit and that questions related to AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) should be asked only when he was visiting the AMMA's office.
