Khargone (Madhya Pradesh): Scores of journalists from Khargone district expressed anger sporting black ribbons on their arms after six journalists from the district were booked under false charges.
The journalists who demanding immediate revocation of FIR against the six journalists visited collectorate on Tuesday to submit a memorandum to district collector. After waiting for more than two hours at office gate, journalists submitted memorandum to superintendent of police, which was addressed to chief minister. In the meantime, journalists raised protest against local mining officer Sawan Chouhan.
On July 1, six mediapersons (both print and electronics) went to district mining officer Sawan Chouhan’s office in collectorate to get his version on illegal mining going on in the district.
Instead of answering, Chouhan accused journalist Asif Khan of indecency and lodged a complaint against Khan and other media persons under Atrocity Act and for obstructing government work at police station.
Upset over this, the local journalists decided to boycott administration’s press conferences and stopped coverage of local administration. Journalists accused administration of pressuring local media by framing them in fake charges. Meanwhile, Khargone incident became a matter of discussion in state capital as many political leaders condemned FIR against journalists.
State home minister Narottam Mishra took cognisance and asked for an investigation, while former chief minister Digvijaya Singh cited it as an attack on fourth pillar of democracy.
Arun Yadav tweeted that the administration in Madhya Pradesh is working together to suppress the voice of people. BJP is working to crush the fourth pillar of democracy, he added.
