NBA slams assault on scribes at Patiala House

The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has condemned the assault by lawyers and others on journalists and cameramen, especially women journalists, who were reporting from Patiala House Court on Monday when the President of JNU Students’ Union was to be produced in the Court.

Condemning the incident, Rajat Sharma, President, NBA, in a statement issued, called it a cowardly attack meant to intimidate journalists carrying out their work in disseminating news and information, a service that is essential for any democratic society. He stated that this was an attack on the freedom of the press.

The JNU Students’ Union President was produced in the Court on Monday on charges of sedition, where he had allegedly delivered anti-Indian speech and raised anti-India slogans during a protest march at the University to mark the anniversary of Afzal Guru’s hanging.

Groups of lawyers attacked the students and teachers of JNU as well as journalists covering the case in the Patiala House Court complex and called them anti-national.