Over the years different countries have seen varying degrees of sanctions and curbs being placed on press freedom. Attacks on the media are not a new phenomenon. But in recent weeks there have been a slew of clashes within the journalist fraternity that sets an alarming trend.
If you have been following the news, you might have read about the altercation that took place within a group of journalists waiting outside the NCB office in Mumbai. The videos had gone viral, and journalist Pradeep Bhandari whose Twitter bio calls him the CEO and Founder of Jan Ki Baat as well as a consulting editor with Republic, laid the blame with "NDTV and ABP goons".
Now, days later we have yet another incident wherein a Bihar-based journalist was allegedly thrashed by a Times Now cameraman. A video where the man can be seen describing his ordeal has since gone viral.
"Have news channels begun admitting goons instead of journalists now? I had gone to the JDU office to cover a press conference," he begins. Unable to hold back tears the man narrates that he was beaten up by a the Times Now cameraman who was also in attendance. "He hit me on the head with his foot, he hit me on the stomach..hit me on the face." the man adds.
The man who had purportedly been a scribe with the First Bihar channel also said that he was resigning from the organisation as he cannot take the situation any longer. As he put it, it was not possible to "work amid such goons".