‘Concerning’: Press physique on lodging of FIR in opposition to TV journalist Navika Kumar

By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) on Wednesday expressed concern over the lodging of an FIR in opposition to senior journalist Navika Kumar in Maharashtra, saying she has been booked for “objectionable” statements made not by her however a visitor in her TV present.

In an announcement, the journalist physique famous with concern an increase in FIRs in opposition to journalists and mentioned indiscriminate use of presidency energy to criminalise journalistic exercise posed “a serious danger to press freedom”.

If journalists are anticipated to be even handed whereas exercising their freedom on account of the distinctive affect on public opinion, the crucial on the central and state governments in addition to their businesses to be even handed in exercising their large energy in opposition to journalists “is even greater,” the IWPC mentioned.

A Maharashtra Police official mentioned on Tuesday that TV journalist Kumar has been named in an FIR registered in Parbhani district in opposition to now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who had allegedly made objectionable remarks in opposition to Prophet Mohammad throughout a information debate hosted by Kumar.

The First Information Report was registered at Nanalpeth police station on a grievance filed on Monday by a Muslim cleric who accused Sharma and Kumar of meaning to outrage spiritual emotions, the official mentioned.

“Times Now anchor Navika Kumar and Nupur Sharma are booked under section 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” the police official mentioned, including investigation of the case was underway.

“The Indian Women’s Press Corps expresses concern at the spate of the FIRs against journalists with the latest being Navika Kumar for objectionable statements made not by her but someone else in a television debate she was anchoring,” the journalist physique mentioned in its assertion.

While there may be no query that the Constitution and constitutional values should be upheld quite than undermined whereas exercising the constitutionally assured freedom of expression, indiscriminate use of presidency energy to criminalise journalistic exercise additionally poses a critical hazard to press freedom, which is a necessary component of the liberty of expression, the IWPC added.