Renowned television journalist Vasudha Venugopal was heckled by a mob of unruly protesters during the Opposition’s march to the Supreme Court on October 12. Journalists from around the country took to social media in solidarity with Venugopal and slammed the misconduct by the hecklers.
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Monday strongly condemned the detention of at least 38 journalists while they were covering protests on October 10 and 11, alleging excessive use of force by the police and other security personnel.
In a statement issued on October 12, the Guild said 36 journalists were detained in Delhi, while one each was detained in Pune and Ahmedabad. It alleged that several journalists were detained despite showing their media credentials, while some also had their phones seized.
The Guild demanded strict compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions protecting journalists from being obstructed while performing their professional duties and called for firm action against those responsible for the alleged violations.