In a recent development, Rajasthan Police is threatening News18 state bureau chief Bhawani Singh in the Alwar temple demolition coverage case. As per a report by News18, Dungarpur Police reached the residence of News18 Rajasthan bureau chief Bhawani Singh without any warrant or complaint. In the report, News18 stated that Singh is being targeted and harassed to create pressure on the journalist and the news agency.
अमन चोपड़ा डिबेट केस में राजस्थान पुलिस ने #News18 के राजस्थान ब्यूरो चीफ भवानी सिंह को परेशान करना शुरु किया. #News18 के रिपोर्ट को परेशान करने की कोशिश.#RajasthanPolice #AmanChopraCase #DeshNahiJhukneDenge @BhawaniSinghjpr pic.twitter.com/RBcROWBd9J
— News18 India (@News18India) August 22, 2022
This comes after multiple FIRs were filed against News18 anchor Aman Chopra at the Bundi police station in Rajasthan and the Bichhiwada police station in Dungarpur in April this year. Aman Chopra highlighted the anti-encroachment drive in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri during his program on the demolition of temples in Alwar and asked if the action in Alwar was a reaction to the drive in Jahangirpuri.
Following the broadcast, a concerted hashtag was launched on social media demanding authorities arrest Chopra for attempting to link the two drives, prompting authorities to file charges against him. Apart from inciting communal conflict and planning to provoke violence, Chopra was charged with sedition by the Rajasthan Police.
On May 7, despite the Rajasthan High Court staying the FIRs and prohibiting police from taking any coercive action against Aman Chopra, at least ten Rajasthan police officials gathered outside his home in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida to arrest him for his coverage of temple demolitions in Alwar on his TV debate show. The journalist’s arrest was urged by Congress party members and a few Congress-aligned journalists.
Chopra has also been criticized in the past for taking bold stands on challenging topics. Shadab Chauhan, the chief spokesperson of the Peace Party, also threatened Aman Chopra with dire consequences in January after he weighed in on the threat received by journalist Ashok Shrivastav from Arun Rajbhar, the National General Secretary of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party.
