Guwahati: Expressing concern over the recent arrest and raids of media offices and residences of journalists in New Delhi, an Assam-based scribe’s body urged Delhi police to clarify the reason behind the actions against media personnel in the last few days. Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) stated that no scribe should be harassed for his/her credible journalism, but the profession should not allow anyone to gather funds from foreign countries (precisely the enemy nation) to propagate anti-national activities.
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Media reports from the national capital reveal that the Delhi police recently raided the office of NewsClick (later sealed it) as well as the residences of many journalists & writers associated with the news website in different localities like Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad. It’s alleged that the management of NewsClick, founded in 2009, received a huge amount of money from China to support anti-India agendas. As many as 45 suspects were questioned and a large number of electronic devices from their custodies were also seized.
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Meanwhile, its founder Prabir Purkayastha along with its human resources department head Amit Chakravarty have been arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for purportedly spreading pro-China content. It is assumed that they pursued Chinese propaganda to exclude (or show as disputed territories) both Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir from the map of India.
“While we stand by all journalists doing their job with integrity & honesty, and in no way should they face harassment while doing their duties, we cannot support media persons pursuing anti-Bharat activities. No journalist should play the role of a tool for our enemy nations in greed of some money,” said JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria, adding that the forum also expressed dismay while 14 Indian television news anchors were boycotted by the opposition parties.
(Nava Thakuria is a senior Indian journalist who contributes to various media outlets including print and digital platforms of India and across the world.)
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