Hundreds of members of South Indian Film Artistes Association (SIFAA) and other bodies of Tamil film industry came together on Wednesday to protest against a Tamil daily, which recently published a report implicating several actresses as involved in sex work.

The protest meeting at SIFAA premises in Chennai was attended by the association’s president R Sarath Kumar, secretary Radha Ravi, Rajinikanth, Vijayakanth, Suriya, Vijayakumar, Radhika and Sri Priya among others.

In his address, Rajini said it is important for newspapers to respect the emotions of people when publishing reports. Vijayakanth said that press freedom should not be misused and media should avoid hurting sentiments of people.

Suriya suggested that the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) should have legal cell to deal with such reports and he would bear the expense to set up such a cell. Actresses Revathi, Seetha, Rohini, Nalini and others spoke.

Meanwhile, the Central Crime Branch police arrested the news editor of the Tamil daily Dinamalar on Wednesday evening following a complaint lodged by South Indian Film Artistes Association. A case was registered against Lenin under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.

He was produced before a magistrate at the Egmore court and remanded to custody. The Chennai Press Club and the Madras Union of Journalists condemned the arrest of Lenin and urged the State government to intervene for the release of Lenin.

Click here to see - Nadigar Sangam’s Remonstration Rally - Gallery