Guwahati: Journalist unions in Assam have condemned Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent comments towards a Guwahati-based journalist.
The journalist, Shah Alam was allegedly profiled communally by the Chief Minister of Assam during a press interaction on August 21.
Alam had inquired about the status of action against illegal hill cutting, to which the Chief Minister responded by questioning Alam’s name and associating him with a Muslim-owned university in Meghalaya.
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The Journalist Union of Assam (JUA) and other media bodies have denounced the Chief Minister’s remarks as a personal attack on the journalist’s religious identity, urging him to refrain from making such comments in the future.
The JUA stated that journalists have the right to ask questions without facing intimidation or personal attacks.
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The Gauhati Press Club has also expressed concern over the increasing instances of disparaging responses by political leaders during media interactions, calling for dignity and respect towards the role of the media.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, with journalist associations united in their condemnation of the Chief Minister’s remarks as unacceptable and a threat to press freedom.