It was only natural for journalists to report details as they emerged: Editors Guild on the FIRs against editors

29 January 2021

On 28 January, the Uttar Pradesh Police and Madhya Pradesh Police booked the editors of The Caravan, Paresh Nath, Anant Nath and Vinod K Jose, along with the politician Shashi Tharoor, and the journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Mrinal Pande, for reporting on the death of a farmer during the tractor rally in Delhi on 26 January 2021. The Uttar Pradesh police booked them for sedition, among other offences, while the MP police reportedly registered a case of promoting enmity.

The Editors Guild of India has issued a statement condemning the manner in which the FIRs were registered against journalists and reporters for reporting from the farmers protests and tractor rally that took place on 26 January. The statement in reproduced below.

PRESS STATEMENT

January 29, 2021

The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the intimidating manner in the way in which the Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh Police have registered FIRs against senior editors and journalists (including current and former office bearers of EGI) for reporting on the farmers’ protest rallies and the ensuing violence that took place in the national capital on 26th January. 

Keywords: press freedom Farmers' Protest Farm Bills 2020
COMMENT