Sena leader admits attack on media

Mumbai: Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Friday admitted his party’s workers had attacked the offices IBN network channels in Mumbai on Pune.

Raut said the IBN Network had been critical of Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray and that was intolerable to his party. He told the Zee News channel Shiv Sainiks had attacked IBN offices for allegedly misquoting Thackeray's editorial on cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

"Media is not God--criticism of Balasaheb Thackeray will not be tolerated," said Raut. "If you target Sena, we will attack. Criticism of Sena is also criticism of Marathi Manoos."

Raut, executive editor of Sena’s newspaper Saamna, said the attack on the news channels was “spontaneous”.

A group of 20-25 Shiv Sena activists attacked journalists and damaged property at the offices of IBN7 and IBN Lokmat, the Hindi and Marathi news channels of the IBN Network, in north-east Mumbai’s Vikhroli on Friday.

IBN Network journalists and other employees were beaten up and their clothes torn by the group. The attackers told employees that they would not accept reports criticizing the Shiv Sena. The Mumbai Police claimed they have arrested seven Shiv Sena workers for the attack.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has assured the IBN Network the attackers would not go unpunished.

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