The Indian Women’s Press Corps and Press Association has issued a statement seeking the immediate withdrawal of the case filed against Anandabazar Patrika editor Ishani Dutta Roy, chief reporter Soma Mukherjee and others part of the organisation’s editorial team.

“We demand that the state and its machinery desist from using tools like the registration of FIRs to intimidate and suppress journalists and instead support a free press to strengthen democracy,” said the statement.

The case was filed on August 28 at the Bowbazar police station in Kolkata over a complaint by Shastri Maharaj, described as a Hindu monk. “It raised objection to the term, ‘gerua gundami’ that translates into ‘saffron hooliganism’ that featured in reports by the publication on violent clashes that erupted at Jadavpur University earlier last month,” the statement recalled.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had attacked the newspaper over the phrase “saffron hooligan” at a media conclave before the complaint was filed. At a rally in Jadavpur, he sought an apology and said thousands of saffron-clad sadhus were ready to act. The paper published the remarks on its front page. After the FIR was filed, the Federation of Press Clubs had last week demanded that the West Bengal government withdraw the case.

In a statement on Tuesday, the IWPC and Press Association said, “Journalists work to uncover the truth that can be unpalatable or even offensive to some, but it constitutes the core of our democracy. The increasing incidence of registration of FIRs against journalists is disturbing. It criminalises the journalist and shows disrespect for the role of a free press.”

“The complainant asked for a thorough investigation by the police on ‘who proposed the expression, who approved it and who was involved in editing the report and determining the headline and whether any of them had any intention or knowledge that this could cause serious injury to religious sentiment’.”

“We know that the language of what is reported and published is decided by the journalist/editors in line with the publication’s norms that fall within the broad contours of ‘parliamentary language. To ask for names and positions of people involved in the use of specific terms smacks of targeting journalists and their bona-fide work,” it said.

“On the same day, the FIR was registered. Suvendu Adhikari, Chief Minister, West Bengal addressing a public rally demanded an apology from Anand Bazar Patrika for the usage of the term ‘saffron hooliganism’. In fact he went on to suggest an alternate term, ‘Suvendu forces rampage or BJP rampage’. It is disconcerting to note the baseless accusations of a right-wing Hindu monk and the language of the highest office in the state is the same. It certainly does not bode well for pursuit of free and fair journalism, the very life breath of our democracy.”

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