Press Club of India Demands Withdrawal of FIR Against Journalist in Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi: The Press Club of India on Saturday demanded the withdrawal of the FIR against a journalist in Himachal Pradesh allegedly for his reportage of the Haryana assembly elections.

The PCI said the practice of silencing the media through FIRs has regrettably become commonplace in several states, irrespective of which party holds power.

The Club said it has come to know through reports that Himachal Pradesh Police in Shimla has lodged an FIR against Sunil Chadha, a journalist with The News Radar.

"We wish to remind the Himachal Pradesh government that freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and justice," the press body said in a statement here.

It said the journalist was reportedly facing harassment every day due to his analytical reporting on the Haryana state assembly election results.

The PCI has expressed solidarity with Chadha, defending the cause of press freedom.

"We call upon the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to withdraw the FIR against The News Radar journalist, and also ensure that his state's police personnel are properly educated about the role and functioning of the media," the PCI urged.

(With PTI inputs)