Press Statement

IJU condemns Kejriwal’s threats against media

05 May, 2015

The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) strongly condemned the threat of the Delhi Chief Minister and President Aam Admi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal to put some media houses on public trial for their alleged ‘biases and prejudices’.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the President S N Sinha and Secretary General Amar Devulapalli of IJU said that it is was unfortunate that Mr. Kejriwal who received huge support from the media when he ran a democratic campaign for rooting out corruption and maladministration from the country, had turned against the same media after coming to power on the back of a popular wave.

“Mr. Arvind Kejriwal imposed restrictions on the movement of media persons in the Delhi State Secretariat immediately after assuming office. Now he has alleged that the media has taken ‘supari’ to finish off his party. It is very unfortunate that a democratically elected leader indulges in ranting against the media and try to kill the messenger when the news he brings is not palatable,” they said.

The IJU called upon Mr. Arvind Kejriwal to desist from intimidating the media which was not acceptable in a democratic setup. They advised him to go Press Council of India or Courts of Law if he had any evidence of wrong doing by any media house.

Sinha and Amar called the journalists in the national capital to ,lodge a strong protest against the threats and intimidation of the Delhi Chief Minister so that he was stopped in his track.