Bengaluru, 1 September 2024 – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party figure and Karnataka Assembly Opposition Leader R. Ashoka on Friday demanded an explanation from the state government after an FIR was lodged against a journalist who filmed and aired remarks made by police inspector T. Narasipur during a Ganesh‑procession meeting.
According to Ashoka, the journalist was summoned to the police station, recorded the peace meeting, and later broadcast the video. He questioned Home Minister Priyank Kharge on why the same official statements that the Congress government defended as legal are now the basis for a criminal complaint against the reporter.
“If the police officer’s statement was correct and legal, on what basis has an FIR been registered against the journalist who reported it?” the BJP leader asked, highlighting concerns that the move could curb media freedom and the constitutional right to question government actions.
Ashoka extended his criticism to the handling of the Ganesh festival, alleging that Hindu devotees are forced to obtain multiple permissions from officials and police to celebrate. He also invoked the recent controversy surrounding former minister B. Nagendra, noting that the Congress had previously raised caste issues when demanding Nagendra’s resignation, and now appears to target a Dalit journalist.
Emphasising equal treatment under law, Ashoka urged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to ensure a transparent investigation if the journalist had indeed committed an offence. He warned that branding a reporter an accused merely for documenting an official’s comments poses a grave risk to democratic health.
The FIR follows a video in which Inspector Dhananjaya T. Narasipur advised Ganeshotsava organisers to adhere to the approved procession route and warned against deviations. Ashoka called for a public explanation of the FIR’s basis, stating that media freedom must not be compromised in the name of political expediency.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalorean News