The Editors Guild of India and the All India Milli Council have condemned the attack by Shiv Sena workers on the offices of IBN 7 and IBN Lokmat in Mumbai and Pune on Friday.
Demanding action against all those involved, including the masterminds of the violence, the Guild in a statement noted that the attacks on the two offices cannot be dismissed as an act of mere vandalism.
Vicious assault
“It is an attack on the entire journalistic community, their rights to expression and is a vicious and savage assault on all norms of civilised behaviour.”
Referring to earlier attacks on the media in Maharashtra, the Guild noted that such attacks continue to happen because the State governments have failed to act against the ring-leaders behind such violence.
“The Guild demands that the government not only ensure the harshest possible legal punishment for the mob which attacked the offices, but also ensure that full justice is done by ensuring that the masterminds behind such acts are brought to book as well.”
“An attack on the Constitution”
In a related statement, the Council said the attack on journalists and media establishments was an attack on the Constitution and functioning of the media.
Also expressing grave concern over the growing incidence of violence against north Indians in Mumbai and other parts of the State by the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, the Council described the two parties as a serious threat to the integrity of the nation.
The Election Commission should take suo motu action against these two outfits and ban them, the Council said, adding that the leadership of the two parties, including Bal Thackeray, ought to be arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
