The Uttar Pradesh State Accredited Correspondents Committee (UPSACC) has urged the State government to ensure that action is taken within a week on the FIR lodged against the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari and his supporters for beating up a journalist at a press conference here on Thursday.
The FIR was lodged at the Hazratganj police station late on Thursday by Mohammed Abdul Waheed Chisti after he was roughed up by Imam Bukhari's supporters.
Condemned
A meeting of the committee condemned the Maulana and his followers for creating a ruckus and indulging in unruly behaviour at a media conference and described it as an attack on the freedom of the press.
The media conference was hosted by the Shahi Imam to air his views on the Ayodhya verdict.
Submits memorandum
In a memorandum submitted to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, the committee demanded that the names of the Shahi Imam's supporters, who were involved in the ruckus, be also included in the FIR.
Expresses surprise
It expressed surprise that though the police were present at the time of the incident, he was not arrested and even allowed safe passage from Lucknow.
A delegation of the UPSACC led by its president Hisamul Islam Siddiqui and vice-president Mudit Mathur met Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and demanded immediate action.
