Violence No Answer Even For Bad Journalism: PCI on Attack on Arnab

The Press Council said it is distressed to know about the alleged attack on Goswami “purportedly for his views”. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Video screenshot)

The Press Council of India on Thursday, 23 April, condemned the alleged attack on senior journalist Arnab Goswami and called for a report from the Maharashtra government over the incident.

Two motorcycle-borne persons allegedly attacked Goswami's car in Mumbai and tried to break its glass window when he and his wife were on their way home in the early hours of Thursday, the police said. Both the attackers have been arrested.

In a statement, the Press Council of India (PCI) said it is distressed to know about the alleged attack on Goswami "purportedly for his views as a journalist".

Every citizen in the country, including a journalist, has the right to express their opinion which may not be palatable to many, but this does not give anybody the authority to strangulate such a voice. Violence is not the answer even against bad journalism, the PCI said.

Goswami is the editor-in-chief and owner of Republic TV.

The council condemns this attack and expects from the state government that it will apprehend the perpetrators of crime and bring them to justice immediately, the statement said.

While taking suo motu cognisance of the matter, the PCI chairperson has asked the Maharashtra government, through the chief secretary and commissioner of police, Mumbai, to submit a report on the facts of the case at the earliest, the PCI said.

The National Union of Journalists (India) also condemned the alleged attack on Goswami, saying if anybody is aggrieved about anything, they should choose an appropriate path to show their protest instead of violence.

The NUJ(I) said that journalists and media houses should also never cross the limit at any cost and strictly stick to professional ethics.

Moreover, the Editors Guild of India on Thursday also strongly condemned the alleged attack,, saying any physical assault, instigation for hate or verbal abuse hurled against any scribe is a “reprehensible act.”

The journalist has invited sharp criticism from Congress leaders for his remarks aimed at their party president Sonia Gandhi during a TV discussion on the Palghar incident in which three persons, including two sadhus, were lynched.