New Delhi /Hyderabad: The Indian Journalists’ Union has condemned the attempts of two BJP leaders in Leh to bribe journalists for favourable poll coverage and worse to threaten them with defamation suit for what they called “fake propaganda.”
Saluting the journalists for upholding the best tradition of journalism and integrity, the IJU has demanded that Deputy Electoral Officer Avny Lavasa, who is also the District Election Officer, ensure that strict action was taken against the two leaders as per the law. The IJU president and Press Council member Amar Devulapalli and secretary-general and IFJ vice- president Sabina Inderjit expressed solidarity with its affiliate Ladhakh Journalists Union, the Press Club Leh for their exemplary action and pursuing the matter since 2 May.
After State BJP chief Ravindra Raina addressed a press conference, in the afternoon, his colleague and MLC Vikram Randhawa started distributing envelopes to journalists. They were shocked to see Rs 500 notes in these and felt insulted and returned the same outright. The next day, seven journalists, including presidents of Press Club Leh and Ladhakh Journalists Union Morup Stanzin and Rinchen Angmo respectively, filed an FIR with the SHO, Leh. (NSS)
