New Delhi: The Press Club of India (PCI) has vehemently condemned the detention of Navbharat Times journalist Poonam Pandey by Delhi Police on Monday evening while she was covering a protest near Kartavya Path. The PCI has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and strict action against the police personnel involved.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, the PCI alleged that Pandey was physically prevented from filming the Mahila Congress protest demanding women’s reservation and was subsequently detained along with the protesters despite displaying her press credentials.
The PCI termed the incident as a blatant attack on press freedom and a chilling effect on journalists’ ability to perform their duties without fear or intimidation. The club’s statement further highlighted the proximity of the incident to the Parliament House, suggesting a pattern of intimidation against journalists covering sensitive issues.
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“Journalism is not a crime, but silencing journalists is certainly a crime against democracy,” the PCI stated. The club has called for strictures to be imposed on security personnel to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
The PCI’s demand for an independent judicial inquiry aims to ascertain whether there are systemic issues within the police force targeting and intimidating journalists covering events that might be critical of the government.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from the journalistic community, with many expressing solidarity with Poonam Pandey and raising concerns about the shrinking space for independent journalism in the country.
