NEW DELHI: The Editors’ Guild of India criticised the violence inflicted on employees of an Assamese news channel by police forces and demanded action against the guilty on Saturday. The Guild said its attention was drawn to a social media video which showed uniformed police personnel ‘running amok’ outside the office of Prag News, a 24X7 Assamese news channel. The uniformed police personnel were seen targeting camera persons of the TV channel with batons, the guild said in its statement.
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“The Editors’ Guild of India deplored the indefensible acts of violence perpetrated on employees of Prag News… The Guild demands that an inquiry should be instituted to identify those who indulged in such violence against journalists, and punish the guilty,” the statement said. It also expressed concern over the Centre’s recent advisory to all private TV channels asking them to desist from broadcasting content that could incite violence or cause ‘anti-national’ feelings.
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“The Guild believes that the media’s overall commitment to responsible coverage of developments in the country should not be questioned through such an advisory. It is the media’s responsibility to report freely and truthfully and fairly,” the statement said. Calling the advisory regressive and that it would interfere with the functioning of media, the guild urged the government to withdraw it. The government advisory had said that the private TV channels should comply with not showing content which promotes ‘anti-national’ attitudes or affect the integrity of the nation.