Arnab Goswami Condemns Attack On Deepak Chaurasia, Calls For Action Against 'Lynching'

Senior Journalist and president of News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) Arnab Goswami has condemned the attack on News Nation’s Deepak Chaurasia. NBF, an industry association of more than 78 news channels representing broadcasters from 25 states and 14 languages, may issue a statement in this regard. Goswami said that the media should unite and condemn this matter and strict action should be taken against the 'lynching'.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that he will write a letter to the Press Council of India over the issue. Condemning the attack on Chaurasia, Javadekar said that this was a shocking case of extremism and the culprits must be exposed.

The BJP has also slammed the ‘lynching’ incident. Deepak Chaurasia was reporting from the site when a man wearing yellow pullover tried to stop him. Unfazed by the disturbance, the senior journalist continued to do his work. Several senior journalists have come out in Chaurasia’s support and said that he was simply doing his job.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been filed on complaint of the senior News Nation journalist after he was allegedly manhandled and roughed up by some miscreants at Shaheen Bagh. Demonstrations have been ongoing in the area since December 15 last year.

Police said the journalist complained to them saying he was beaten up and his camera was snatched by a mob at the protest site. An FIR has been registered under sections 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) and 34 (common intension) against unknown persons at the Shaheen Bagh police station, a senior police officer said.

Hundreds of people, led by women, have been demonstrating at the venue, blocking a key road which links Noida to Delhi. A major part of the crowd swells between 8 pm and 12 pm when the regular protesters are joined by working professionals and businessmen once they return from work. While the protesters has maintained their agitation is completely peaceful, Today's incident has raised serious questions about their claims.

This is not the first time the Shaheen Bagh protests has created a controversy. Earlier this month, seevral BJP leaders claimed that 'Jinnah wali Azadi' slogans were chanted during an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest at Shaheen Bagh.