New Delhi: The arrest of Times Now-Navbharat correspondent Bhavna Kumari and two others in Ludhiana, Punjab, is severely condemned by the National Union of Journalists (India). They also demanded that all charges against them be dropped. The organisation has issued a warning that if the cases filed against media personnel are not removed, agitation will be initiated.
NUJ India President, Mr. Ras Bihari, has sent a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an inquiry in this regard. In the letter sent to the Home Minister, it has been said that this retaliatory action has been taken for making disclosures about Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The NUJ -India press release states that the police in Punjab’s Ludhiana have arrested Times Now-Navbharat journalist Bhavna Kumari, Mrityunjay Kumar, who was travelling with her, and the driver for hitting a woman. The SC-ST Act has also been imposed on these people. On behalf of the Punjab Police, it has been told that the Ludhiana Commissionerate Police has arrested three people for hitting a woman with a speeding car on May 05. The collision caused injury to his right hand and also used abusive language. The arrested people have been identified as Bhavna Kumari, Mrityunjay Kumar and driver Parminder Singh.
Ras Bihari said that it is surprising that along with the allegation of hitting the road, abuses and SC-ST Act were imposed on the media persons. How would the media persons know about the caste of the woman making the allegations. This proves that this action has been taken at the behest of the Punjab government to suppress the voice of media persons.
