Date:20/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/20/stories/2008072055781100.htm

National

Journalists take out rallies in Gujarat

Manas Dasgupta

Protest against attack by Asaram Bapu’s followers on their colleagues

Thousands of residents join Ahmedabad procession
Violation of the right of freedom of expression: NBA

AHMEDABAD: Journalists in Ahmedabad and in various other cities and towns in Gujarat on Saturday took out rallies in protest against Friday’s attack on their colleagues by followers of Sant Asaram Bapu, whose ashram here is under the scanner following the mysterious deaths of two boys a fortnight ago.

At least half-a-dozen journalists and cameramen of the electronic media were thrashed when they were filming a public protest against the Bapu during “Guru Purnima” celebrations.

In Ahmedabad, more than 200 journalists and cameramen took out a rally from the Sabarmati police station to the ashram at Motera, shouting anti-Bapu and anti-police slogans. Thousands of residents also joined the rally.

Sensing trouble, the police, posted at the ashram since Friday, stropped the rally and refused permission for the journalists to proceed further. Following a minor scuffle — as some of the rallyists tried to break the police barricade — the journalists courted arrest. They were later released.

The mutilated bodies of Deepesh (11) and Abhishek Vaghela (12), cousins and students of the Gurukul school run by the Ashram on its premises, were recovered on July 5 from the Sabarmati river behind the Ashram. The police initially tried to record the deaths as accidental, caused by drowning. But the father of one of the boys alleged that the children were offered as “sacrifice.”

Special Correspondent reports from New Delhi:

The News Broadcasters Association condemned the attack on journalists and cameraperson.

Voicing concern over the growing violence against journalists and media organisations, NBA president G. Krishnan said in a statement there could be no acceptable reason for such attacks which amounted to violation of the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression.

The NBA urged the Gujarat Chief Minister and Home Minister to ensure that journalists were allowed to perform their duties freely and fearlessly. It demanded action against the culprits.

In a related statement, The Indian Newspaper Society expressed its anguish over the attacks on the office of Andhra Jyothi newspaper by some miscreants. Describing such attacks as a serious threat to press freedom, the INS urged the Andhra Pradesh government to take appropriate steps to protect the employees and establishments of the newspaper.