Press Community in Dharamshala Calls for Justice After FIR on Journalist
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Dharamshala: In a powerful show of solidarity, the press fraternity in Dharamshala has united to demand justice and protection for senior journalist Sunil Chadha, following an FIR that appears to be aimed at harassing him for his recent reporting.
Chadha, a veteran journalist with The Newz Radar, published a story that critically analysed whether the Congress party’s actions in Himachal Pradesh had influenced the Haryana election results, where the BJP secured a majority. Mere hours after the story was made public, an FIR was lodged against him.
The complaint, filed by a 50-year-old resident of Shimla, accuses Chadha of deliberately maligning Congress leaders. The rapid registration of the FIR has raised serious concerns within the press community, with many suspecting it to be a deliberate attempt to intimidate and stifle critical journalism. The news of the FIR spread quickly across social media, causing significant distress to Chadha’s family, particularly women, children, and elderly members, who now fear for their safety and well-being.
Also Read: https://thenewzradar.com/anurag-thakur-slams-sukhu-govt-over-fir-against-the-newz-radar-says-media-facing-serious-threat-in-himachal/
Press Fraternity Seeks Government Intervention
In response to these alarming developments, journalists from across Dharamshala have come together to demand an assurance of safety from the government for Chadha, his family, and his colleagues. The press community fears that the situation could escalate, posing serious risks to those involved. Journalists have called for the immediate intervention of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to ensure that all parties are protected and that the government reaffirms its commitment to upholding press freedom.
To press their concerns, a delegation of journalists met with Kangra’s Deputy Commissioner, Hemraj Bhairwa, and handed over a formal letter requesting that the matter be conveyed to the Chief Minister. The letter specifically seeks the government’s protection for the journalist and his family, ensuring their safety amidst fears of retaliation.
Prominent Journalists Join the Cause
Journalists from prominent media outlets gathered in Dharamshala to show their support. The group first met at Kunal Restaurant to discuss the strategy before proceeding to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Those present included Udayveer Pathania, owner of Black and White Broadcasters; Parveen Kumar from Amar Ujala; S Gopal Puri and Sunil Chadha from The Newz Radar; Milan Singh from Live Times TV; Pawan Sharma from Divya Himachal; Vipan Sharma from Zee News; Abhishek Pathania from Him Express; and Deepak Bhardwaj from Write4News. Lalit Mohan Prashar and Raghav Guleria from The Tribune extended their support via phone, with Guleria on his way to join the group.
Additionally, Pankaj Sharma from MH1, Yashpal from Dainik Savera, Sonali from Anant Gayan, Rahul Chawla from PTI/ABP News, Sourabh Atwal from Janta TV, and Rakesh from another media outlet expressed their solidarity. Sanjay Aggrawal from PTC arrived at the last moment, joining the group outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The united press body reiterated that the FIR threatens not just Chadha but the broader principles of press freedom, calling on the government to take immediate steps to protect journalists and their families from such harassment.
