Guwahati: In response to the arrest of journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar, journalist fraternity in Guwahati took to the streets on Wednesday protesting against the alleged politically motivated arrest.
Police also sought five day remand of Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar while producing him before the court on the same day.
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Mazumdar is a reporter with The CrossCurrent, a city-based news portal, and assistant general secretary of the Guwahati Press Club.
Journalists, editors, activists, and student groups protested outside the Guwahati Press Club in Ambari, denouncing the arrest as an attempt to stifle press freedom and intimidate voices critical of those in power.
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“This is not just an assault on Dilwar Hussain but a threat to all journalists and the essence of a free press,” said one of the protesting journalists.
The demonstrators also chanted slogans against the state police and authorities and formed a human chain before marching toward the Pan Bazar police station.
A brief scuffle broke out as police personnel attempted to stop them.
Niharika Shaw Ikia, literary secretary of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) criticized the government stating that they only wants to hear its praise.
“If journalists don’t highlight its flaws, who else will? This politically motivated act aims to silence those who question the authorities,” she questioned.
Journalists in Jorhat, Dibrugarh, and Biswanath also demonstrated, demanding Mazumdar’s immediate release.
Police detained Mazumdar on March 25 after attempting to question Dambaru Saikia, Managing Director of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank, about allegations of a multi-crore recruitment scam.
Police arrested Mazumdar after complainant filed an FIR accusing him of using offensive and derogatory remarks, such as “Boro Jati Hoi Tumi Besi Kora,” said police report.
The report claimed that Mazumdar violated the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989 and charged under Sections 351(2)/3(1)(r) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to a Supreme Court ruling on March 25 in the Shajan Skaria vs. State of Kerala case clarified that accusations under the SC/ST Act require the offensive remarks to be made “within public view”.
However, the FIR reportedly doesn’t fulfill the legal criteria set by the Supreme Court.
Amid the continuing protest in Guwahati, the Guwahati Press Club called for nationwide support from media organizations, likening an attack on one journalist to ‘an attack on the entire press community.'”