Press Club slams silence of AAP CMs, seeks action against cops over 'assault' on journalist

Two days after journalist Naresh Vats alleged that he was barred from attending a joint press conference – by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann – and assaulted by Punjab police, the Press Club of India said the “silence” of the CMs “is an ominous pointer of their tacit approval of the incident”.

The remarks come two days after the Chandigarh Press Club had also issued a statement after the incident at Imperial Hotel in Delhi on Tuesday. The Press Club of India demanded that the policemen be suspended and due compensation be given to Vats. It noted that it is a matter of serious concern that there is no action or statement from either of the two CMs.

Vats had claimed that he had produced his PIB card when asked to prove his identity as a journalist, but he was still denied entry by an official who asked the police present on the spot to put the journalist “in jail”. He later submitted a representation to the director general of PIB and the union ministry of information and broadcasting.

SAD leader and former Punjab CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had also condemned the alleged assault. “Strongly condemn the attack on Chandigarh based senior journalist Naresh Vats by Punjab Police in Delhi during the signing of "Memorandum of Surrender"...This is a clear case of AAP abusing power to silence voice of the people,” he tweeted.