The media fraternity in Gwalior has demanded that the police withdraw a case registered against a veteran journalist on May 24 for reportedly sharing on social media a post that the BJP found objectionable.
In a letter submitted to the Inspector General of Police, Gwalior, members of the Gwalior Press Club said, “Without any investigation, the police hastily registered a case. There are government orders that a case can be registered against a journalist only after investigation by police officers”.
As ‘alert sentinels of democracy’, they asserted that journalists supported the public at large by “acting as the media for their expression while remaining independent and bold. In a democracy, every individual has the right to express”.
Explaining the order, Heera Singh Chouhan, incharge of the Gola ka Mandir police station said, “Permission of higher officials is required only while issuing a challan, not for registering an FIR”.
Tansen Tiwari, 66, who has worked at several Hindi media outlets, on May 22 posted on Facebook in Hindi: “If it sidelines gappu (braggart), tadipaar (the externed), rapists and those who keep unnatural company, then the BJP truly is a goal-oriented party”.
The next day, BJP worker Awdesh Singh Bhadauria filed the complaint with the police. Later, Mr. Tiwari deleted the post.
The police have registered the case under sections 294 (obscene acts and songs) and 500 [punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and section 67 (punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Stating that he had never faced opposition for his writings before, Mr. Tiwari said, “The words I chose may have hurt the sentiments of some people, that’s why I deleted the post. As a journalist for 40 years, I choose my words wisely. I have not named anyone”.
“I was talking about some detestable human traits, which might be there in anyone. And we should be against them [such traits]. I am willing to apologise if I made a mistake,” he added.
Mr. Tiwari observed that today, one couldn’t write whatever one thought. “We are expected to write only pleasant things, but nothing unpleasant. I don’t belong to any party; I just have to ask questions for my readers.”
