Chd Press Club condemns assault on journalist by Punjab Police personnel 

The Chandigarh Press Club condemns the manhandling of a senior journalist and club member, Naresh Vats, during a press conference of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Imperial Hotel, New Delhi, on April 26.

Punjab Police personnel deputed at the entry gate of the hotel misbehaved with Mr Vats and didn’t let him attend the press conference despite him having produced his Press Information Bureau accreditation card. When Mr Vats resisted, Punjab Police personnel assaulted him.

He made numerous calls to the Public Relations team of the Punjab Government regarding the issue but there was no response.

Eventually, Mr Vats was left with no other option but to file a complaint against the policemen at the Parliament Street police station today.

In the complaint, Mr Vats has stated that the policemen not only abused him but also assaulted him.

Mr Vats, who has been in the media profession for over two and a half decades, has also given a representation to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Director General of PIB.

This incident is a clear attack on the freedom of speech while restricting a journalist from performing his professional commitment.  

The Chandigarh Press Club demands strict action against the police personnel involved in the incident. It also urges the Press Council of India to take suo moto notice of all such atrocities against journalists.