A controversy has arisen involving Malayalam actor-politician Suresh Gopi, who has issued an apology after a journalist accused him of touching her shoulder on two occasions during a media interaction in Kerala’s Kozhikode.
The incident took place when Suresh Gopi was responding to questions from journalists. A purported video of the incident shows the actor placing his hand on the journalist’s shoulder as she posed a question. Subsequently, she moved back and asked another question. The actor repeated the action, placing his hand on her shoulder, and she pushed it away.
In response to the incident, Suresh Gopi took to social media, where he expressed his apology and explained that he had intended to treat the journalist with affection. He stated, “If she felt bad about my behavior, her feelings should be respected. I tender an apology to her if she had felt bad about my behavior. Sorry.”
However, the journalist regarded the apology as more of an “explanation” and stated her intention to take legal action.
The Kerala Journalists’ Union president, MV Vineetha, and general secretary R Kiran Babu have called on Suresh Gopi to admit his mistake and issue a formal apology to the journalist. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has expressed its intention to file a complaint against Suresh Gopi with the women’s commission and pursue other appropriate legal actions. The KUWJ release underscored the seriousness of the matter and its implications for women in the journalism profession.
Additionally, the journalist has lodged a formal complaint against Suresh Gopi with the Commissioner of Kozhikode City.
This incident has sparked debate and concern about appropriate conduct, particularly in professional and public settings, and it has garnered attention and support from journalist associations and political figures who have voiced their solidarity with the journalist.
Sources By Agencies