‘BJP goons mistook me as Muslim and beat me at Amit’s rally in UP’: Indian journalist
Bareilly: Indian journalist Raghav Trivedi was reportedly attacked by members of the Hindutva Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during an Amit Shah’s election rally in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh state for sporting a beard and wearing shalwar-kurta, attire commonly associated with Muslims in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Trivedi, working for online news portal Molitics, was covering BJP leader and Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s Lok Sabha election rally in Rae Bareilly when the incident occurred.
“Just because I sport a beard and wore a kurta pyjama, the BJP goons labelled me as a Muslim,” Trivedi said from his hospital bed. He recounted that he was reporting on the rally when some women participants revealed they were there after being provided with money. Subsequently, he was approached by BJP members who asked him to switch off his camera and then assaulted him. Despite police and other journalists being present, Trivedi’s calls for help went unanswered, and his cameraman fled the scene.
The Congress highlighted the incident on social media, stating, “Amit Shah had a rally in Raebareli, UP. Here the women told a journalist that they were brought to the rally after being paid money. The journalist recorded this. After this, BJP goons caught the journalist and asked him to delete the video. When the journalist refused, BJP goons kidnapped him, then took him to a room behind the stage and beat him badly. They also snatched money from the journalist.”
The incident underscores the challenges faced by journalists and the need for ensuring their safety and freedom to report without fear of reprisal.
