Mahima
The Haryana police registered a case against a Hisar-based journalist, Rajesh Kundu, for ‘cyber-terrorism’, ‘promoting assertions prejudicial to national integrity’ and ‘promoting enmity between classes.’
Kundu has been charged under sections 153A and 153B of Indian Penal Code and Section 66F of Information Technology Act over his social media post.
The FIR states that, Kundu in his social media post alerted that Hisar will witness a caste-based violence between Dalits and others within a week.
He also mentioned that this would be an experiment for the state and its success would lead to the implementation of the same on a country-wide basis, the blueprint for which is already prepared.
District police spokesperson Vikas lodged the complaint and further alleged that inflammatory messages were sent to various WhatsApp groups and on Facebook form Kundu’s mobile phone number which can cause breach of public peace.
Rajesh Kundu has extensively covered the ongoing farmers’ protests against three new Central agricultural laws.
The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemned the complaint by Hisar Police and remarked, “The action is an impingement on his right to freedom of speech and expression as well as an ongoing bid by governments to intimidate and harass the media.”
The leaders of Opposition demanded immediate withdrawal of the case.
Randeep Singh Surjewala expressed his disapproval and tweeted, “When the government could not break the ongoing farmer agitation, it lodged an FIR against journalist Rajesh Kundu, who has become a voice of the farmers. Neither this voice can be supressed nor the farmer agitation”.