AMN /
Ouraged over the growing attack on their fraternity, Media persons today carried out a big protest march from Press Club of India in New Delhi to Supreme Court. Senior journalists, including Siddarth Vardarajan, Rajdeep Sardesai and Barkha Dutt led the march.
Hundreds of journalists sign memo protesting against attack; handed to SC registrar; will be heard in SC tomorrow.
The journalists were shouting slogans against the Modi Government and Delhi Police. The protesters also demanded Police Commissioner B S Bassi’s sacking due to alleged inaction by the security personnel at the Patiala House Courts yesterday when journalists, students and teachers of JNU where attacked by people wearing lawyers’ black robes.
At the Supreme Court, they submitted a memorandum to its, Registrar, seeking cancellation of licences of lawyers involved in the assualt.
A separate delegation of journalists met Home Minister Rajnath Singh demanding his intervention in ensuring “accountability of the Delhi Police who watched silently as the assault happened”. The memorandum by the journalists was submitted to Supreme Court even as it agreed to hear a petition tomorrow on a plea seeking action against those involved in the violence at Patiala House court complex.
BJP leaders and lawyers had allegedly attacked journalists and JNU students who were present in the court premises for a hearing on arrested JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar. Earlier, a delegation of journalists met Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence to register their protest against the incident.
Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi today said investigation is on over the attack against journalists at Patiala House Court in New Delhi yesterday. Talking to media, Mr Bassi said action will be taken as per law after identifying the people responsible. He said it was a surcharged atmosphere and allegations and counter allegations have been made.
Academicians from 400 int’l varsities extend support to JNU
Over 400 academicians from international varsities, including Columbia, Harvard and Cambridge, have come out in support of JNU students agitating against a row over an event on the campus. A joint statement signed by 455 academicians from global universities, said, JNU stands for a vital imagination of the space of the university and, it is this critical imagination that the current establishment seeks to destroy.
It added that, an open, tolerant, and democratic society is inextricably linked to critical thought and expression cultivated by universities in India and abroad. The statement further said that they are extremely concerned at the situation unfolding at JNU and will not remain silent.