Media bodies condemn police action on journalist covering anti-CAA march

Media bodies on Thursday strongly condemned the detention of journalists covering the anti-CAA march here and urged the Delhi police not to interfere in the free functioning of the press.

"Delhi Police today swooped down on journalists in the Raj Ghat-Red Fort- Daryaganj area of Delhi. They had gone there to report on and record the human chain that was organised by citizens - on Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom day - against official intimidation and high-handedness on people conducting peaceful protests against CAA or NRC," said Press Club of India (PCI) in its statement.

The PCI expressed its "shock" and "strong protest" at the police action.

"From the first reports we have, Rajesh Kumar, Shivesh Garg and a clutch of other journalists were forcibly taken away to an unknown destination- probably a distant detention centre or police station. We have no further information," it added.

Other journalists were violently attacked by police, among them photographer Sanjay K. Jha of The Telegraph, and S. K. Pande, a senior journalist and leader of the Delhi Union of Journalists, the PCI said.

"We strongly condemn the police action against journalists doing their duty. This seems to now becoming a regular trend. Last December, media covering the peaceful protests by Jamia Milia Islamia students had been manhandled by Delhi Police," it added.

The PCI stated that it is also drawing the attention of Union Home minister Amit Shah to the "condemnable anti-media attitude of Delhi Police".

It also called upon the Parliament to note the current goings-on and ask questions to Delhi Police.

Press Association (PA) stated: "The Association strongly condemns the police action against a number of journalists who were there just to do their professional work. Earlier also various media personnel have faced such high-handed treatment from the police."

"The association condemns such acts which tantamount to shooting the messenger and urges the government to direct Delhi police not to interfere or impede the free functioning of the Press," it added.