Raipur: The Opposition Congress in Chhattisgarh on Sunday alleged that journalists are being "implicated in false cases" in Bastar at the behest of the ruling BJP dispensation.
Journalist Deepak Jaiswal were held on Saturday while another scribe Prabhat Singh was arrested on March 22 by Bastar police on separate charges.
"We oppose the arrest of one more journalist Deepak Jaiswal. They police are deliberately harassing then at the behest of ruling BJP in Bastar. They are being implicated in false cases," Congress state general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi alleged.
Police are being continuously misused in Bastar to suppress the voices of those who are speaking in open against the alleged loot of minerals in the region, he said.
"Innocent tribals are being killed branding them as Naxals. Neither social activists are being allowed to work in Bastar, nor political leaders. Those who oppose police action, they are being tagged as Maoists," Trivedi said.
To establish peace in Bastar all steps should be taken which are legitimate under the law of the land, but in the name of police action, journalists, public representatives and common men should not be harassed, he said.
Prabhat Singh was arrested on March 22 under the Information Technology Act for allegedly posting objectionable content on a Whatsapp group and three other cases. Jaiswal was held on a complaint for allegedly entering the school premises without permission during an exam and manhandling the staff members.
In the past year, four journalists have been arrested at separate places in Bastar division.
Meanwhile, AAP leader and tribal activist Soni Sori also lashed out at police for action against "innocent” journalists.
Terming the arrests of journalists as a "conspiracy", she said, "The democracy is being murdered in Bastar."
"What's happening in Bastar. Why the voices of journalists are being suppressed. Bastar police is continuously targeting local journalists of the region who are raising the issue of tribals. They are being targeted under a conspiracy and we oppose it," Sori told reporters here.
Prabhat was actively reporting on issues of tribals. He had exposed the false claims of police in some incidents for which he is paying the price today, she said.
"Chief Minister Raman Singh is responsible for the entire incident (arrests and law and order situation in Bastar) as he is the head of the state...it is his responsibility to ensure protection to journalists," she said.
Sori also said that she will soon stage a massive protest in Bastar opposing the arrest of journalists.
