'No Press Freedom...': Samajwadi Party Hits Out At Yogi Govt Over Arrest Of Journalist

A video, which has now gone viral, shows a local reporter Sanjay Rana, seeking responses from Devi on several promises of development she had made ahead of the state assembly elections. An FIR was filed against him by Shubham Raghav, a leader from the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, after the incident. Rana is associated with a YouTube channel called Moradabad Ujala. 

Speaking in Hindi, Rana is seen asking in the video: 바카라�You had said that you are adopting Budh Nagar Khandwa which comes under your constituency, Chandausi and that this village belongs to you. You had taken the oath in a temple. Addressing the elders of the village, you had asked them to let you know whatever work has to be done and you would get them done. Lastly, you had also said that if you win the election, you will return here (Budh Nagar) once again but you never came.바카라�

바카라�There is neither a single baarat ghar in the area nor a toilet. Moreover, you had promised to construct a road from the temple to here but no work has started. The condition is such that even two-wheelers have trouble travelling on it,바카라� he asked further.

Rana points out how the villagers had earlier tried to communicate the issues with the leader but their words were not heeded. 

However, the young journalist was soon intercepted by a woman, whose face was not visible on the camera, following which Devi responds, 바카라�Why don바카라�t you ask me questions like a media person that when will the work be done?바카라�

Meanwhile, the audience including the villagers endorse Rana바카라�s allegations and agreed that no work, which was promised, was done.  

Continuing with her response, Devi says, 바카라�I immediately recognised your gaze since I have been watching you. I recognised what you바카라�re doing. What you have said is correct. But the time has still not run out.바카라�

According to the FIR, reported by Quint, Rana was charged with Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) under the Indian Penal code. The FIR also accused Rana of abusing people there and threatening them. 

Reiterating the accusation, Devi told reporters that Rana "slapped a few party workers and was troubling the villagers".

바카라�This is not an unprecedented incident. Several local journalists are being arrested every day across Uttar Pradesh for speaking up against the BJP government. This is perhaps one example that has been reported,바카라� Samajwadi Party (SP) national spokesperson Abbas Haider tells Outlook. 

Commenting on the incident, Haider outlines that it바카라�s a narrative which is being created by the government that 바카라�whoever dares to speak up or speak the truth, shall face the brunt of it바카라�. 

바카라�It바카라�s an abuse of power and it is given there is no press freedom in Uttar Pradesh,바카라� he says. 

In another consecutive video, Rana is seen standing by his actions and statement. While he has been accused of misbehaving on stage, he says he took due permission from the concerned authority to speak to Devi and apprise her of the troubles being faced by the people in the area. 

바카라�I have not done anything wrong,바카라� he said. 바카라�If someone is making false statements about the work they have done, shouldn바카라�t you question it?바카라� he says in the video.

In a strong response, the SP media cell took to Twitter and stated in Hindi, 바카라�Ground reporter Sanjay Rana in Sambhal asked Gulab Devi, a minister in the BJP government, questions on the issue of development, then the minister put the journalist in jail. If this is not an undeclared emergency and dictatorship in the BJP government, then what else is it? BJP only wants sycophancy journalism, it is forbidden to ask questions?바카라�

The journalist was later reportedly granted bail.