Renowned CPJ-Asia that fights for press freedom asks Himachal govt to withdraw FIR against journalist
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The Asia chapter of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a prestigious body fighting for the rights of mediapersons and press freedom, has called on the Himachal Pradesh government to drop an FIR lodged against Dharamshala-based journalist Sunil Chadha in connection with his article on the Haryana Assembly election results.
The CPJ emphasised that journalists should not be harassed or subjected to legal probes for carrying out their work.
The FIR against Sunil Chadha, the Executive Editor of Dharamdhala-based web portal The Newz Radar, has raised concerns among press freedom advocates, with CPJ urging Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to ensure that police investigations were not misused as tools to intimidate journalists.
In a post on X, the CPJ said press freedom was vital for a functioning democracy and such actions could set a dangerous precedent for media censorship. The CPJ tagged the Press Council of India in its post.
Sunil Chadha, a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience, is known for his fearless reporting and investigative journalism. The FIR against him has sparked widespread support from press freedom organisations and the journalism community across India.
Earlier, the Press Club of India had condemned lodging of the FIR over the publication of the analytical article related to the Congress defeat in the Haryana Assembly elections.
“We condemn the FIR against The Newz Radar journalist in Himachal Pradesh over his analytical article and demand its withdrawal. The practice of silencing the media through FIRs has regrettably become commonplace in several states, irrespective of which party holds power,” the Press Club of India posted on its X handle.
The Press Club of India, a reputed body comprising journalists who rub shoulders with the who’s who of the country’s politics and other fields in national capital Delhi, also shared on X a copy of the letter written by Press Club of India president Gautam Lahiri condemning the FIR.
Press freedom vital for democracy
In the letter, Press Club of India president Gautam Lahiri said, “The Press Club of India stands in solidarity with Sunil Chadha in defence of press freedom. We wish to remind the Himachal Pradesh government that freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and justice.”
“We call upon the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, to withdraw the FIR against The Newz Radar journalist, and also ensure that his state’s police personnel are properly educated about the role and functioning of the media.”
Support from other press bodies too
The Chandigarh Press Club, the Indian Union of Journalists and the Himachal Pradesh Union of Journalists, among other journalistic bodies, have rallied behind The Newz Radar and Sunil Chadha, and called upon the Himachal Pradesh government to withdraw the FIR.
“The Chandigarh Press Club condemns the registration of an FIR against Dharamshala-based journalist Sunil Chadha, Executive Editor of the Newz Radar, over an article critical about the Himachal Pradesh government. This is a blatant attack on the freedom of the press,” Chandigarh Press Club secretary general Umesh Sharma said in a statement. The Chandigarh Press Club also urged the Himachal Pradesh government to ensure the safety of Sunil Chadha, who has been into journalism for two decades.
Forgery section included in FIR
The FIR (No. 132/2024) was registered on October 8, 2024, at the Sadar police station in Shimla under Sections 336(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Section 336(4) deals with forgery and Section 61(2) with criminal conspiracy.
The complainant is Sandeep Aukta (50), shown to be a resident of Hemant Niwas at Kasumpti in Shimla. In the FIR, Aukta alleged that on October 8 while walking on Shimla’s Mall Road, he came across an article on The
Newz Radar’s website via his mobile phone. He alleged that the article was “false, baseless and fabricated, and published with an intention to malign the reputation of Congress leaders”.
The Newz Radar strongly refutes these allegations as unfounded, hereby provides a point-by-point explanation to defend the article’s accuracy.
Article penned by Sunil Chadha
The article was penned by Sunil Chadha, Executive Editor of The Newz Radar, a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience. Renowned for his integrity and an impeccable track record, Sunil Chadha has uncovered several high-profile scandals, including the recent Himachal Pradesh Police recruitment scam, KCC Bank loan fraud and a land scam involving a former minister.
Also Read: https://thenewzradar.com/press-club-of-india-slams-himachal-govt-for-fir-against-journalist-asks-cm-sukhu-to-revoke-it/
The article, titled “Did Congress lose Haryana due to Sukhu govt’s ‘financial mismanagement’ in Himachal?”, highlighted how the ruling BJP in neighbouring Haryana partly focused its campaign on the alleged financial crisis facing the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government. The BJP cited issues like the unprecedented delay in the disbursement of salaries and pensions, controversial “toilet tax” and the rollback of power and water subsidies. The article also pointed to discussions on social media about the probable causes of the defeat.
Issue raised by PM Modi, Nadda, Shah
The report also cited political analysts and detailed how during their Haryana campaign, top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda, repeatedly highlighted the alleged financial mismanagement in Himachal Pradesh. Former Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur too campaigned on the same lines, seeking attention to the Sukhu government’s handling of finances.
Newz Radar presented Congress’ side too
Adhering to journalistic standards, The Newz Radar article also included the Congress’ perspective. It quoted Chief Minister Sukhu as having said during the campaign that the “delay in the payments of salaries and pensions was a strategic financial decision, and that it did not reflect a deeper monetary crisis”. The article also mentioned the argument by Congress leaders that the “BJP was politicising the issue to deflect attention from its own shortcomings after a decade-long rule in Haryana”.
