SHIMLA, Nov 6: A group of journalists on Friday passed a resolution at Press Club Shimla and handed over a memorandum to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur alleging the latter for curbing freedom of press in the state as the government booked another senior journalist after registering a case of treason against noted journalist Vinod Dua.
Press Club, Shimla President Mr Sunil Hadely convened a meeting of senior journalists which was attended by about 50 journalists to protest against registration of frivolous complaints against Mr Baldev Sharma, Editor of Hindi news weekly ‘Sahil’ recently by the state vigilance department.
Mr Sharma told UNI that he was summoned by the state Vigilance Department based on a frivolous complaint by a BJP councillor about his office premises.
He said that the issue was settled by the Himachal Pradesh High court as a similar case was also filed against him in the past.
Media persons belonging to various organisations unanimously resolved to lodged a protest against the Jai Ram Government on this action and decided to hand over a memorandum to him, under which the press club has demanded to quash the FIR lodged against Mr Sharma and sought quashing of a number of other FIRs lodged against media persons in various part of the state during the pandemic-induced-lockdown.
Journalist Vishal Sarin said that Senior Journalist Mr Vinod Dua was booked on a similar complaint by the Jai Ram Thakur Government under seditious charges and media persons would protest if the Government did not quash FIR aganist them.
Jai Ram Thakur and BJP party president Mr Suresh Kashyap recently condemned the Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra for booking Republic TV journalists on alleged complaint of abetment to suicide but the state government also have similar track records as it has booked number of journalists after coming in power three years ago, he added. (UNI)
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