IJU Demands Investigation After Journalists Targeted at Student Demonstrations
The Indian Journalists Union has denounced the physical intimidation of media workers reporting from Jantar Mantar. The organization is calling for an immediate probe into violence from both law enforcement and protesters.
Press Freedom Under Fire at Jantar Mantar
The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) issued a formal condemnation on July 24, 2026, following a series of physical assaults and threats against reporters covering nationwide student protests. Incidents focused in New Delhi have seen media personnel caught between aggressive security tactics and hostile demonstrators. IJU President Balwinder Singh Jammu and Secretary-General D. Soma Sundar released a joint statement describing the hostility as a direct strike against democratic freedom of expression.
Tactical Violations and Lack of Accountability
The union highlighted specific concerns regarding the conduct of the Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF). Reports indicate that security personnel utilized pellet guns and shock batons against crowds, impacting both students and journalists. The IJU noted several troubling procedural lapses during these operations:
- Officers were reportedly deployed in civilian attire rather than standard uniforms.
- Personnel frequently lacked visible name badges, preventing the identification of those responsible for use of force.
- Video evidence depicts physical interference with the work of video journalists and field reporters.
The IJU argued that field reporters should not be held responsible for the editorial leanings of their employers. They observed that protesters frequently targeted journalists from specific television networks based on a perception that the outlets held pro-government or anti-protest biases.
A Call for Institutional Reflection
While the IJU asserts that media organizations maintain the right to set their own editorial agendas, they warned that certain management practices are currently damaging the industry's integrity. The union urged newsrooms to examine how their output affects public trust and journalistic standards. They remains firm that harassment from any side is unacceptable, given that journalists have a professional obligation to document events of regional and global interest.
Source: The Hindu — Home
