Raipur: A day after a journalist was allegedly assaulted by some local Congress leaders and others in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday condemned the incident and assured strict action against the accused. Editor of Bhumkal Samachar Kamal Shukla was allegedly beaten up by Jitendra Singh Thakur, a former president of Kanker Nagar Palika, Gaffar Memon, a representative of local Congress MLA, Shadaab Khan, a corporator, local scribe Ganesh Tiwari and others in Kanker town, police had said.
Four accused were arrested in the case. Speaking to reporters, Baghel said whatever happened was wrong.
“Police arrested the accused on the application (of the victim). Irrespective of party affiliations, the action has been taken against the accused persons. It is a matter of investigation whether they (accused) had brought a pistol. If it is found to be true, further sections (of the IPC) will be included in the case,” he said. The victim Shukla had alleged that Memon had trained a pistol at him and threatened to shoot him, police said.
The CM indicated that journalists had suffered worst when the BJP was in power and referred to murder cases of journalists in Bilaspur and Gariaband. “What happened to the CBI probe into Bilaspur incident? Another journalist was murdered in Gariaband but what happened to the CBI probe into that killing? An accused in the Gariaband murder cased died in the CBI custody.
“In Bastar, a journalist was arrested under Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act under the previous (BJP) government. Unfortunately his employer media house disowned him,” Baghel said. When asked about enforcement of the law to ensure protection to journalists, the chief minister said suggestions and feedback of journalists are being added in the draft law.
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