The Editors Guild of India expressed concern on the decision of the Uttar Pradesh Police to file a FIR against Scroll Executive Editor Supriya Sharma and it’s Chief Editor over a report published from Varanasi’s Domari village.
The FIR was filed on June 13 under Sections 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as also under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act). This followed a complaint by one Mala Devi, who was quoted by Ms. Sharma in her report, published on Scroll.in on June 8.
In an official statement Scroll.in has said it stands by the article.
The Editor’s Guild called the FIR against Ms. Sharma as an overreaction by the U.P. police and said it will seriously undermine freedom of the media. “The use of criminal provisions of the law against journalists has now become an unhealthy and despicable trend that has no place in any vibrant democracy. It needs to be resisted as well as eliminated,” the Guild said in a statement here.
The Guild further said that while it respects the right of Mala Devi, on whom the report is based, to defend herself against any acts of injustice, it finds the flagrant misuse of such laws unjustifiable and reprehensible.
“Worse, the increasing frequency of such misuse of laws by the authorities is tantamount to shooting the messenger and destroying a key pillar of India’s democracy,” the Guild said.
