‘Reminiscent of a fascist state’: Press bodies demand Delhi Police's apology for detaining journalists during Jantar Mantar stir

The CJP and the Opposition are protesting against the alleged electoral irregularities, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

The detention and harassment of multiple journalists covering the ongoing Delhi protests has been condemned by four journalists' organisations, including the Press Club of India (PCI) and the Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC).

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the Opposition are protesting in the national capital against the alleged electoral irregularities, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. CJP has vowed to resume the protests at Jantar Mantar at 10 on Sunday after a massive police crackdown a day earlier, on Saturday.

PCI, IWPC, Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (Delhi unit) together released a statement on Saturday mentioning the detention of multiple journalists even after presenting their press identity cards, news agency PTI reported. They added that some reporters also had their phones and equipment confiscated.

ALSO READ: Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka kept under preventive arrest ahead of fresh Jantar Mantar stir, says CJP

The journalists covering the police crackdown were forced into buses and transported to detention centres by the Delhi Police, the organisations said.

The detained journalists mostly belonged to The Quint, The Wire, Scroll, Reporter TV, Navbharat Times, and Newslaundry. Apart from this, senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta was also detained, the report said.

"The reporters said they were detained while filming detentions, despite prominently displaying their press cards," the statement said. They have asked for the immediate release of all the detained journalists and return of the seized phones and equipment.

Press bodies demand apology from Delhi Police

The organisations have demanded a public apology from the Delhi Police. "Preventing journalists from doing their job, detaining them without reason, and creating a fortress-like situation in the capital with 22,000 police and paramilitary, closed metro stations and unprecedented internet shutdowns, to stop peaceful questioning of institutions is reminiscent of a fascist state," the organisations said.

ALSO READ: Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, Oppn leaders, actors among detainees across India

7000 detained in massive crackdown

About 41,000 security personnel turned the Capital into a fortress on Saturday to thwart a planned protest, launching an unprecedented clampdown that saw the detention of 7,000 people and left large chunks of Delhi deserted.

Four former chief ministers and the leaders of the CJP, were among those detained as police cracked down on students, lawyers and politicians, successfully refusing passage to Jantar Mantar. Yet, sporadic protests bubbled up at different points of the city throughout the day.

Right-wing organisations threat, assault protesters

Groups of men from right-wing organisations threatened and assaulted protesters and journalists in Connaught Place and near the MCD Civic Centre on Saturday, HT reported.

Near Palika Bazaar at 2.30pm, a group of more than 30 men who said they were from the Bajrang Dal shouted slogans and threatened journalists. "You all are showing fake news for CJP. We will protect Delhi Police since they can't use arms against you," one of them shouted. Police chased the men away and detained some of them half an hour later.

Many of the men were seen beating protesters in front of police personnel, including instances at Connaught Place that unfolded in front of HT reporters.

Near the MCD Civic Centre, a confrontation between protesters and men from the Hindustan Raksha Dal turned violent when the men began dragging, assaulting and threatening women and men on the street.

(with inputs from HT's Jignasa Sinha)

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