Fascist Hindu mobs attacked journalists in Delhi
Journalists under attack in Modi’s India
Journalists
were attacked by RSS-BD and VHP fascist violent mobs for reporting violent
attacks in Delhi. Journalists were beaten, intimidated, harassed, and stopped
from reporting in North East Delhi.
While journalists in India have always been targeted for
their work, under Modi the attackers are much more open, furious, and fearless.
They have become increasingly embolden and hostile under Modi government.
The independent journalists and analysts have been targeted
by the Hindu fascist groups. They want to silent ever critical voice in India
that dares to challenge the reactionary agenda of Hindutva that Modi government
is trying to impose.
Modi's supporters blame the international criticism and image
problem of him and pinned the blame for it on journalists and other critics, a
feeling that continues today. They blame the media and intellectuals for
painting negative image of Modi and other extremist Hindu groups.
Since 2002 Gujarat riots, Hindu hard line groups have looked
at journalists and media as part of the problem. Modi and his RSS/BD and Sangh Pariwar
followers believe "critical media" is interfering with their plans to
build a Hindu state.
Three
journalists were seriously injured while several others reported threats and
harassment by mobs for filming the violence inflicted by angry, young mobs. One reporter was shot and survived,
another had his teeth knocked out, and many more said Hindu mobs demanded proof
of religion and tried to keep them from documenting vandalism and violence that
included people attacking one another with axes, swords, metal pipes, and guns.
Committee to
Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a warning about India on Tuesday, noting that
the escalation of sectarian violence has led to deaths and injuries, and that
journalists were now being targeted.
“Over the
past two weeks-the protests have become increasingly communal in nature, with
some media workers reporting they have been asked about their religious identity,
according to reports.”
NDTV said
that three of their reporters and a cameraperson were assaulted by “armed mobs”
in northeast Delhi and that there were no police to protect them while they
worked on a story.
The Times
of India photojournalist Anindya Chattopadhyay also narrated his ordeal
while covering the mob violence in which he had to cut through crowds to take
photos. He stated that: “They threatened to take off my pants to confirm my
religion. I then folded my hands and said I was just a lowly photographer. They
then gave me a few threats, but let me go.”
Journalists
in India are doing their best to cover the violence on the streets of Delhi
which has affected the lives of the capital city's Muslim minority. Several
Indian reporters wrote personal accounts, stating how they were accosted by
mobs and let go only after confirming their religious identity.
In 4 days long mob violence in which Muslim communities were
targeted by Fascist Hindu groups which left 43 people dead and hundreds wounded.
The Hindu fascist groups spread hatred and incite violence against Muslim
community in Delhi. They chanted slogans of Gooli Maaro (Shoot them) and
Hindustan se nikal Jao Leave India) against the anti-CAA protestors. For them-everybody
who is opposing the new citizenship law is a traitor and must be punished.
The experts and journalists say the attacks on reporters
covering the riots and censorship of critical content in the aftermath of the
violence are a sign of growing intolerance for independent reporting in India
under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist extremist right wing hard
line government.
Similar demands for proof of religion were made during 2002
riots in Gujarat, Modi's home state and where he was the chief elected official
at the time.
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