New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India strongly condemned the “intimidating manner” in which police registered FIRs against senior editors and journalists, including current and former office bearers of the guild, for reporting on the farmers’ protest rallies and the violence that took place on Republic Day.
In a statement issued Friday, the guild said journalists were specifically targeted for reporting the accounts pertaining to the death of one of the protestors on their personal social media handles as well as those of the publications they lead and represent.
Six journalists, including India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, National Herald’s Zafar Agha, Caravan’s Ananth Nath, Vinod Jose, and Paresh Nath, were booked by the Noida Police Thursday for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi.
The FIR was lodged at the Sector 20 police station following a complaint by a resident who alleged that “digital broadcast” and “social media posts” by these people were responsible for the violence during a tractor rally by farmers in the national capital.
“It must be noted that on the day of the protest and high action, several reports were emerging from eyewitnesses on the ground as well as from the police, and therefore it was only natural for journalists to report all the details as they emerged. This is in line with established norms of journalistic practice,” the statement, signed by Seema Mustafa, guild president, and Sanjay Kapoor, general secretary, said.
It also noted how the FIRs “allege that the tweets were intentionally malicious and were the reason for the desecration of the Red Fort”. Nothing can be further from truth, the guild said.
“On a day thick with information, the EGI finds these FIRs, filed in different states, as an attempt to intimidate, harass, browbeat, and stifle the media. That the FIRs have been booked under as many as ten different provisions including sedition laws, promoting communal disharmony, and insulting religious beliefs, is further disturbing.”
It added that the “targeting” of journalists “grievously violates and tramples on every value that our democratic republic stands for”.
The guild has demanded that the FIRs be withdrawn immediately and the media be allowed to report “without fear and with freedom”.
“We also re-iterate our earlier demand that the higher judiciary takes serious cognizance of the fact that several laws such as a sedition are often used to impede freedom of speech, and issue guidelines to ensure that wanton use of such laws does not serve as a deterrent to a free press,” the guild said.
Read the full statement here
Also read: How farmers lost control and stormed Delhi — unions blame actor-activist and ex-gangster
The president of this organization seems to have a Pakistani mindset!! He should shift his organization in Pakistan or any other Islamic state to instill values of democracy, liberty & press freedom!!
The fake journalism practiced by these peddlers should be wiped out. The guild has no shame to issue statement. That’s why arnab is not the part of the gang
Ur argument is correct, provided that it was unintentionally done. But also see the earlier cases, whether there were any similar cases which were reported by these so called hero’s were not true. If this is the trend, with a malicious intention, then they r bound to be punished. Pl do an analysis.
Why??? Fake news peddlers should be arrested and punished.. So, what if they are senior or junior. Fake Propagandist should be arrested.
You must be joking – You really want us to believe Rajdeep sardesai is independent?
The tweets and Rajdeep’s interview were intentionally malicious. It is time for editors guild to show some spine and make journalists accountable when they spread fake news without verifying. They should realize that this is the reason why journalists are losing credibility. When you point fingers at Arnab, people will point fingers at you too! Save yourself from your own leaders like Rajdeep Sardesai and the lot.
These people are more dangerous then terrorists..
Encounter the habitual offender, the dog called Rajshit
Then how come one “editor” is already on the dock for his fake tweet? Enough of this mockery of the democracy in the name of free speech. In times of heightened emotions, to play with fire and attempt to burn down the country is unpardonable.
I think they should be punished. Why so hurry in publishing news or tweeting without verification.
Left Wing people hoot a lot about Arnab’s journalism. But this is Anti Right version of things that left accuse Arnab of.
So the journalists want a blank cheque to peddle misleading news? Had there been a riot due to such news, should not these guys been responsible for that ? Where is the censure of this guild on the errant journalists ?
First behave properly and then demand freedom of speech.
So, you consider yourself above Law..
In far too many cases, the NEWS, rather than presented factually and dispassionately, is spun to fit the ideology of the presenter or the political dispensation to which s/he is afliliated. The spin distortion can go from small to very large.
It is the responsibility of the presenter and ultimately of the editor to ensure that the final product (including the spin) is factual and does not cause damage to the society and if such a possibility exists to self censor including not reporting.
The patriotism demanda of every citizen to be loyal and well wisher of the nation.
Journalism should be about seeking & reporting truth. Those who have become mouthpiece of certain ideology / sects / political parties are not journalists. A person who presents facts as they are has nothing to fear. People who have abused the profession of Journalism are greater threat to journalism & freedom of speech than from government or anybody else.
Yes I agree. Withdraw the FIRs, but instead encounter these fake news peddlers.