NEW DELHI: The Editors Guild of India condemned the attack on senior journalist Nikhil Wagle in Pune on Saturday and voiced concerns over the police’s decision to file a case against him for a controversial remark. Simultaneously, the Congress commented that the incident indicated the breakdown of the rule of law in Maharashtra.
The assault took place a day after Wagle’s car was reportedly attacked while he was on his way to a public meeting, allegedly by BJP workers protesting his comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and L K Advani following the latter’s Bharat Ratna award. Consequently, the police filed a case against some BJP workers.
“The Editors Guild calls upon the administration in Pune and the Maharashtra government to hold the responsible parties accountable,” stated the Guild in a release issued from the national capital. It also highlighted the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) against Wagle, expressing deep concerns about the “misuse of criminal laws against journalists as a means to intimidate and harass them.”