CPI(ML) Liberation demands withdrawal of case filed in Assam against journalists

Patna, Aug 20 (PTI) The CPI(ML) Liberation on Wednesday strongly condemned the filing of a case in Assam against senior journalists Karan Thapar and Siddartha Varadarajan, calling it a "well thought out conspiracy of the BJP", which rules the northeastern state, to intimidate the media.

It demanded that the case be immediately withdrawn.

In a statement, the Left party also pointed out that the summons was issued by Guwahati crime branch "on the same day when the Supreme Court refused to take note of a petition" filed against news portal 'The Wire' with which they have been associated.

"Therefore, the summons dated August 12 can also be said to be in defiance of the judiciary," claimed the party.

"Thapar and Varadarajan have been told that they were being booked under Section 152 of Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, which relates to sedition but does not elaborate further," it said.

Assam, under BJP rule, has become a laboratory for its dangerous experiments. Tribals and ethnic minorities are being displaced and their land is being handed over to corporates. The police have become an instrument in the hands of the fascist regime with a sectarian agenda, the CPI(ML) Liberation added.

"We, hereby, demand the immediate withdrawal of the case against the two senior journalists and scrapping of Section 152 of BNS which is nothing but the old, colonial sedition law in a more vicious form," the Left party added. PTI NAC ACD