Hon’ble Sh. Narendra Modi,
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi.
Sub: About attack on journalists in Delhi,
Dear Modi Ji,
We hope that you would already be aware of the incident of attack on three journalists in Delhi in the afternoon on August 11, 2020. As details of the incident have already emerged in the media journalists Prabhjit Singh, Shahid Tantray and their woman colleague were working in Subhash Mohalla in North Delhi’s North Ghonda area when they assaulted and beaten up. They were rescued by the police through there appeared procrastination in police action too.
The woman journalist was even sexually harassed while her two male colleagues were beaten up. It does not just reflect on the law and order situation in Delhi but also the moral degradation that a woman journalist had to face all this when people were around. It is also coming out that there is a delay on part of Delhi Police in registering FIR against the accused persons and proceeding further.
The highly condemnable incident deserves your intervention not just for justice in the case but also for setting an example so that it does not become a precedent for other such miscreants in Delhi and other parts of the country to feel encouraged.
Sir, India already ranks at the 142nd position on World Press Freedom Index and this incident in the national capital proves that the situation is worsening even further. Leaders of your party often refer to their fight against Emergency and refer to that as a black chapter in Indian history after 1947 when freedom of media was also suppressed. However, such incidents amount to similar conditions for journalists, especially for those working in the field.
Please intervene and ensure that guilty are booked under all the offenses made out from the detailed complaint submitted by the journalists and further action is also taken quickly so that such elements don’t enjoy impunity and immunity.
With Regards
Dr.Lakhvinder Singh Johal,
President,
Punjab Press Club.
Jalandhar ( Punjab)