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Editors Guild of India ‘deeply disturbed by high-handedness in Uttar Pradesh’
The incident happened on July 10 when local journalist Krishna Tiwari was covering the block pramukh elections. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Tiwari is seen being beaten up by chief development officer Patel and some alleged BJP workers
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Monday said it is “deeply disturbed” by the “continuing trend of heavy-handedness by the state authorities” in Uttar Pradesh with journalists after a video showing a civil servant purportedly assaulting a journalist went viral.
“In a video that has gone viral on social media, Krishna Tiwari, a local journalist, is seen being beaten up by Divyanshu Patel (chief development officer), as well as reportedly some BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) workers. EGI finds this incident highly condemnable and actionable. This incident has come against the backdrop of using tools like increased persecution of journalists in the state of UP (Uttar Pradesh)…” The guild noted Patel may have apologised but the “heavy-handedness by the administration is hurting the democratic rights of the media, which becomes all the more crucial given that the state goes into polls next year.” It demanded strict action against Patel. The guild called for concrete steps to “improve the environment for independent journalism in the state.”
The incident happened on July 10 when Tiwari was covering the block ‘pramukh’ elections. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Tiwari is seen being beaten up by Patel and some alleged BJP workers.
It said the government has “punished, penalised, and incarcerated journalists.” The guild added that journalist Siddique Kappan, who was arrested while on his way to report a rape and murder case last year, “still remains in jail under the draconian UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act). It added his incarceration continues despite several appeals by the family and the civil society to at least “afford him (Kappan) a fair trial and treatment.”
