Arnab Goswami Led NBF Condemns Attack On Deepak Chaurasia At Shaheen Bagh, Demands Police Action

The News Broadcasters Federation on Saturday condemned the attack on News Nation’s Consultant Editor Deepak Chaurasia at Shaheen Bagh. In its statement NBF said, "The News Broadcasters Federation is extremely concerned about the repeated instances of violence directed at journalists in the line of duty at Shaheen Bagh. These attacks have been fuelled by a growing spirit of intolerance by those claiming to be protestors at Shaheen Bagh. The most recent attack on senior journalist Deepak Chaurasia and his camera crew at Shaheen Bagh, which was recorded on camera, reflects the growing hostility of some of those at Shaheen Bagh towards journalists unwilling to toe their line. In recent weeks there have been similar attacks on several other TV journalists in the course of which camera equipment has been broken and destroyed and some journalists including those who were victims of yesterday's attack, have had to be hospitalised. The NBF, which is the largest such organisation of news broadcasters pan India, demands immediate police action against those who have perpetrated the violence and seeks solidarity among all members of the Indian media against this relentless attack on reporters, and editors of news media organisations."

Earlier today, Senior Journalist and president of News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) Arnab Goswami also 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, will issue a statement in this regard, Arnab said to News Nation earlier.

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.

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

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.

Also Read: Javadekar Condemns Attack On Deepak Chaurasia As BJP Terms Shaheen Bagh As 'Tauheen Bagh'

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.

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