Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday sought a report on policemen manhandling a journalist of The Hindu who was discharging his duty in covering protests against the proposed Nanar refinery in Ratnagiri district.
Mr. Fadnavis was speaking on the floor of State Legislative Assembly after the issue of Alok Deshpande, the journalist with The Hindu being manhandled by the police , was raised by the Leader of Opposition, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
The Chief Minister announced that an inquiry would be conducted into the Tuesday night incident where Mr. Deshpande was stopped from entering Azad Maidan and misbehaved with by policemen and assured that action would be taken.
Mr. Deshpande was stopped at the main gate of Azad Maidan by police sub-inspector Jagnath Ganage on Tuesday night and prevented from entering the protest site. Four police constables and another sub-inspector also joined in and pushed Mr. Deshpande out using force.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/i-was-pushed-out-of-azad-maidan/article25609086.ece
The Mumbai Press Club, too, condemned the unlawful act of Azad Maidan police station officers.
“The police act is highly condemnable and warrants a disciplinary action against the officers involved,” it said in a statement.
When Mumbai Press Club and other journalists associations brought the unsavory and anti-freedom of press incident to his notice, CM Devendra Fadnavis made an immediate announcement in the Assembly that action would be taken against the erring police officers.
“As we welcome CM’s quick response, we appeal to him to tell the police force to stop browbeating working journalists and create an atmosphere of coexistence,” the Mumbai Press Club said in the statement.
