Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann’s Chopper Row: Media To Protest On January 4

Chandigarh: Members of journalists fraternity on Friday announced a protest in Sector 17 Chandigarh, here on January 4 after the cyber cell of the Ludhiana police booked 10 persons including some YouTubers and an RTI activist for allegedly spreading ``rumours and misleading information’’ about the alleged ``misuse of the chief minister Bhagwant Mann’s helicopter during his foreign tour last month.

The said announcement was made after a meeting of journalists held by Bathinda Press Club on Thursday.

The journalists who addressed the meeting held that the Punjab’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government was attempting to muzzle the journalists’ voice and suppress dissent.

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Press Club has also condemned the action of the Punjab police and the Punjab government of registering FIRs against several journalists from the Bathinda region and YouTubers from Ludhiana.

"The Chandigarh Press Club believes that the state government's action reflects intolerance towards critical reporting. Registering FIRs against journalists and digital content creators is a clear attempt to intimidate the media fraternity for reporting on issues of public interest and holding those in power accountable," the club president Saurabh Duggal said.