HomeNews ReportsCockcroach Janta Party supporters heckled journalists, raised "Godi Media" slogans during Jantar Mantar protest:...

Cockcroach Janta Party supporters heckled journalists, raised “Godi Media” slogans during Jantar Mantar protest: Here are six incidents of journalists targeted by protestors

While the CJP had claimed that the protest was being organised against the central government, especially the education minister, over recent issues like NEET and CBSE exams, anti-national slogans of Azadi-Azadi were raised during the protests.

The much-awaited Cockcroach Janta Party (CJP) protest was organised at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday (6th June). With all the social media hype around the protest, it was expected that at least thousands of supporters of the CJP, which has millions of followers on social media, would attend the protest. However, the protest turned out to be a flop show, with very few people gathering at the site. The protestors were outnumbered by media persons and the police personnel.

Interestingly, many of the CJP supporters, who came to protest, had little idea about the agenda and purpose of the protest. While the CJP had claimed that the protest was being organised against the central government, especially the education minister, over recent issues like NEET and CBSE exams, anti-national slogans of Azadi-Azadi were raised during the protests. When some journalists tried speaking to the protestors to understand their agenda and questioned the anti-national slogans being raised by CJP supporters, they were heckled and intimidated. Many protestors pushed and hounded journalists who were only doing their jobs.

OpIndia journalist Anurag Mishra had a similar experience at the protests when he tried to speak to the CJP supporters regarding their demands. The CJP supporters, who claim to be fighting for the freedom of expression, surrounded Anurag Mishra and started shouting slogans calling him “Godi Media”. Mishra had merely asked the CJP supporters why the turnout at the ground was so low while the CJP has millions of followers on social media. The CJP supporters got irritated by the question and started intimidating and shouting at him.

The OpIndia journalist was not the only one who was nearly assaulted by CJP supporters at the protest site; another journalist from Zee News also had a similar experience. The journalist was covering the protest when several CJP protestors came charging at him, raising slogans of “Godi Media”. As the situation grew tense, some police personnel intervened and rescued the journalist.

Some women journalists had a tough time covering the protests as they were harassed by CJP supporters. In a viral video, CJP protestors were seen encircling a woman journalist, shouting slogans and showing her an obscene gesture.

Another woman journalist was also targeted by CJP hooligans, who heckled her as she was trying to cover the protests, accusing her of being a government agent. One of the CJP protestors taunted her, saying, “Modi (PM Modi) must have handed her a ₹500 note”, as others shouted slogans at her.

Similarly, a News24 journalist was pushed around and hounded by CJP supporters as he was trying to ask them questions. The journalist tried to reason with the protestors, but they kept shouting slogans of “Shame, Shame” and “Godi Media Vapas Jao” (Go Back Godi Media).

In yet another incident, an ABP journalist was roughed up by the CJP supporters as he was trying to speak to them. The journalist displayed great calm despite being pushed and shoved by protestors, who were aggressively shouting provocative slogans.

These incidents of journalists who came to cover the protests being heckled by CJP supporters expose the hypocrisy of CJP leaders, who portrayed the entire campaign against the government and the protest as an attempt to ‘raise a voice’ or ‘to be heard’. On the one hand, the party wants to ask questions to the government and fight for the freedom of expression and liberal values, and on the other hand, its supporters harass and intimidate people asking questions to them.

Join OpIndia's official WhatsApp channel

  Support Us  

For likes of 'The Wire' who consider 'nationalism' a bad word, there is never paucity of funds. They have a well-oiled international ecosystem that keeps their business running. We need your support to fight them. Please contribute whatever you can afford

Related Articles

Trending now

- Advertisement -