Ex-CM Shanta Kumar calls FIR against journalist attack on democracy, asks Sukhu to revoke it
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Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar, who has also remained a Union Minister, has strongly condemned the filing of an FIR against The Newz Radar journalist Sunil Chadha in Himachal Pradesh, calling it is a “direct attack on the fundamental right to freedom of expression”.
In a statement, Shanta Kumar expressed his disappointment and concern, emphasising that independent journalism was the cornerstone of any democracy, including India’s.
Shanta Kumar said he was both “surprised and saddened” upon learning about the FIR lodged against Sunil Chadha, Executive Editor of Dharamshala-based web portal The Newz Radar, over the publication of an analytical article on the Congress defeat in the recent Haryana Assembly elections.
Also Read: https://thenewzradar.com/maharashtra-assemly-elections-in-single-phase-on-nov-20-jharkhand-to-vote-in-2-phases-results-on-nov-23/
According to Shanta Kumar, there was absolutely no basis for legal action against Subil Chadha as the article merely reflected the political atmosphere and opinions, which were natural in a democratic setup.
“In a democracy, the political developments of one state can certainly impact another. Expressing such an observation is not a crime by any means,” said Shanta Kumar. He went on to argue that if “developments in Himachal could impact Haryana’s election results, they may similarly affect other states, including Maharashtra”. Filing an FIR over such political commentary is “completely unjustified”, he stressed, adding that the news report did not violate any legal provisions or pose any threat to public order.
The veteran leader urged Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to take swift action in quashing the FIR and to uphold the freedom of the press. “The freedom of independent journalism must be protected at all costs. It is the very soul of democracy,” Shanta Kumar said, appealing for the safeguarding of journalists’ rights to express their views without fear of reprisal.
