A journalist working with a Delhi-based online portal was allegedly thrashed by BJP workers at the Lok Sabha election rally of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rae Bareli on Sunday, May 12.
Raghav Trivedi, who works for a YouTube news channel called ‘Molitics’, said that some people, allegedly associated with the BJP, attacked him after he questioned them about the statements made by some women attending the rally. Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel met Trivedi at the district hospital and called the incident “a direct attack on democracy”.
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“I was reporting the rally. Some of the women in the participants told me that they were there because they had been provided with money. After some time, I was approached by BJP people who asked me to switch off my camera. After that, I was assaulted,” Trivedi said.
Journalist Working With a Delhi-Based Online Portal Beaten by BJP Workers
Based on a complaint filed by Sanjeet Sahni, a cameraman and an associate of 27-year-old journalist Trivedi, an FIR was registered against six unidentified persons under Sections 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the IPC.
The Congress took X (formerly known as Twitter) to report the incident stating, “Amit Shah had a rally in Raebareli, UP. Here the women told a journalist that they were brought to the rally after being paid money. The journalist recorded this. After this, BJP goons caught the journalist and asked him to delete the video. When the journalist refused, BJP goons kidnapped him, then took him to a room behind the stage and beat him badly. They also snatched money from the journalist. BJP goons had recently vandalised vehicles parked outside the Congress office in Amethi and attacked Congress workers. These incidents are telling that the people of BJP are frustrated with the defeat that is visible. Now the injustice is about to end.”
Rae Bareli circle officer Amit Singh said an investigation had been initiated but no arrest had been made until evening.