PWP legislators' violence against Loksatta reporter condemned

Mumbai Press Club condemns the legislators of Peasants' and Workers' Party, Jayant Patil and Subhash Patil and their party workers for assaulting daily Loksatta's Raigad reporter Harshad Kashalkar. The senior journalist was harmed physically during the Lok Sabha counting process in Raigad.

The PWP legislators and workers hit Kashalkar for asking Jayant Patil uncomfortable questions. The political leaders and their gang entered the counting centre without any authorisation. The police have booked them for this crime, but took time to file cases against them for assaulting a journalist who was accredited by Election Commission.

We deplore the act of violence against a professional journalist who sought answers from Jayant Patil, who is PWP's national general secretary.

What is even more deplorable is that Patil runs a newspaper 'Krushival', but shows utter disregard for the freedom of press.

We understand that police cases are filed against the unruly netas for attacking Kashalkar after local journalists agitated. We demand that the investigations are conducted properly and strong cases made against the leaders.

We stand in solidarity with Kashalkar, the Loksatta management which is pursuing the case, and all working journalists in Raigad district, who have planned a protest march to the Collector's Office on Monday. 

Lata Mishra,
Secretary, Mumbai Press Club
25th May 2019