NEW DELHI -- Journalists from different organisations on Tuesday marched to the Supreme Court in protest against the mob violence outside the Patiala House court where lawyers and politicians were seen beating up scribes and students.
Marching from the Press Club here, the journalists chanted slogans against Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi.
"When we were reporting from the site, around 15 people ganged up on us asking us to leave. We called the police for help but they said that they could not do anything. After they saw me recording the footage of them beating up others, they threatened me saying that if I don't leave they will break my bones. Despite all this, if Bassi calls it a minor scuffle then its incredible. I'm just doing my job here, they don't want to hear the truth," NDTV's reporter Sonal Mehrotra told ANI.
Journalists and JNU students attacked inside Patiala house court; #Protest march begins from #Delhi Press Club pic.twitter.com/1A3GHTisO1
β Press Release Watch (@PrReleaseWatch) February 16, 2016
Hitting out at the Delhi Police, senior television journalist Barkha Dutt told that the cops were given ample opportunities to intervene in the situation but they failed to do so.
"Bassi and Rajnath need to take immediate action. We have the faces of the people responsible on tape. They are lawyers, who are meant to be symbols of the law. So, it is really shocking what has happened," Dutt said.
#NewsUpdate: Journalists march in protest from Press Club to Supreme Court for being attacked by lawyers in Delhi β¦ pic.twitter.com/v0Z7PIw7AX
β News Updates (India) (@NewsUpdatesIN) February 16, 2016
Big gathering of journalists at Press Club for the protest march against roughing up of journalists at Patiala House pic.twitter.com/Q5OWazvoFv
β Aman Sharma (@AmanKayamHai) February 16, 2016
Echoing similar sentiments, India Today consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai said that the Delhi Police has time and again failed to defend journalists.
"We are not traitors, we are just doing our jobs. If you don't like what we do then don't listen to us but you can't attack us like this."
"What has happened is wrong, no matter how anyone tries to trivialise it," Sardesai told ANI.
Journalists and students bore the brunt of the violence yesterday outside the Patiala House court as attacks began when JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar was to be produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Loveleen.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA OP Sharma, who was yesterday seen thrashing Communist Party of India (CPI) minority wing leader Ameeq Jamei outside a Delhi court, stirred a fresh controversy on Tuesday and said that all those who have no respect for the nation and are 'anti-national' can go and live in Pakistan.
Press club to Supreme Court March ) strange why these #RadiaTape#Presstitutes are concerned about journalists ?? pic.twitter.com/rlr8vh29sX
β barkha dutt (@FailedEngineer_) February 16, 2016
protest march from press club to Supreme Court against attack on journalists at the courts yesterday pic.twitter.com/tIbnSyo0qy
β Maya Mirchandani (@maya206) February 16, 2016
Also Read: Punched, Slapped, Abused: Journalists Recount Run-In With 'Lawyers' In Delhi Court
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