Jaitley, Bar Council deplore attacks on media; SC asks police to ensure safety

Jaitley, Bar Council deplore attacks on media; SC asks police to ensure safety

patiyala

NEW DELHI: Even as the Bar Council of India condemned the attacks by lawyers on media persons at Patiala House courts where the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union Kanhaiya Kumar was being produced, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi Police to ensure the security of all including media persons.

The apex court also agreed to hear a petition by media persons in this regard. 

Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, himself an eminent lawyer, also condemned the attacks in a tweet, saying: “Media has an unhindered right to report. Attack on Media persons is highly improper and condemnable.” 

Media persons in Mumbai and Kolkata also held demonstrations in support of their Delhi colleagues. As was previously reported by Indiantelevision.com, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) also deplored the attacks.

Earlier reiterating that attacks on journalists discharging their professional duties was not acceptable, the Press Council of India had sought a report from the Delhi Police regarding the assault on media persons in the Patiala House Court complex.

The events at Patiala House court resulted in a massive outrage and top editors of national media and hundreds of journalists yesterday demonstrated on the streets demanding action against those involved in beating up members of their fraternity in police presence and sought Supreme Court's intervention in protecting freedom of speech.