Shashi Tharoor and 6 journalists face sedition case on farmers protest post in UP and MP
One first Information Report (FIR) in Noida, Uttar Pradesh and four FIR in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Multai and Betul has been filed against Congress MP Sashi Tharoor and six journalist for spreading ‘misinformation’ and ‘spreading disharmony’ on Republic Day when the farmers tractor parade turned violent in Delhi. The six journalists named in the FIR’s are Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Vinod Jose, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath. All of them are facing charges which include sedition, criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity under the Indian Penal Code.
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the filing of such cases against the journalists and in a statement issued said, “The journalists have been specifically targeted for reporting the accounts pertaining to the death of one of the protestors on their personal social media handles as well as those of the publications they lead and represent. It must be noted that on the day of the protest and high action, several reports were emerging from the eyewitnesses on the ground as well as from the police, and therefore it was natural for the journalist to report all the details as they emerged. This is in line with establishment norms of journalistic practice.”
On January 26 thousands of farmers clashed with the police during the tractor rally in protest of the 3 farm laws introduced by the union government. Hundreds of farmers also entered the Red Fort and clashed with the police. The Delhi police had named actor Deep Sidhu and gangster Lakha Sidhana in the FIR over the incident at the Red Fort.
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