DUJ Condemns ‘Life-Threatening Attack’ on Uttarakhand Journalist

New Delhi: The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has condemned the “life-threatening” attack on Uttarakhand-based journalist Yogesh Dimri, whose small digital channel, Aanwala News, was in the forefront of exposing the liquor and drug mafia in the hill state. Dimri is also know for his “bold reporting” in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, said DUJ in a statement.

In a statement, DUJ demanded an immediate inquiry and adequate compensation and protection for Dhimri.

Dimri, who hails from Rishikesh, is seriously injured and was admitted to AIIMS Rishikesh by some of his journalist colleagues after the attack, allegedly by the liquor mafia, according to a report in Garhwal Post. Some videos of the attack have gone viral on social media. The attack on Dimri was condemned by various journalist unions and associations. Journalists have also appealed to the Chief Minister Puskhar Singh Dhami as well as DG Information, Banshidhar Tiwari to provide financial aid for Dimri’s treatment.

The DUJ statement also expressed its shock at the Yogi Adityanath government’s new Digital Media Policy in Uttar Pradesh.

Read the full statement below:

DUJ Condemns Life Threatening Attack on Uttarakhand Journo    

The Delhi Union of Journalists condemns the life threatening attack on Uttarakhand based journalist Yogesh Dimri, whose small digital channel Aanwala News has been in the forefront of exposes about the drug and liquor mafia operating in the state. Dhimri is also known for his bold reportage of the Ankita Bhandari rape and murder case. The attack left him badly injured and he is in hospital. A video of the attack has become viral. We demand an immediate inquiry and adequate compensation and protection for Dhimri.

 The DUJ also expresses its shock at the Yogi government’s new Digital Media Policy. This policy is nothing but an “I scratch your back and you scratch mine” method of government sponsored paid news. Under it ‘influencers’ can earn up to Rs 8 lakh per month for promoting state schemes. Much worse, this policy threatens that anyone who posts ‘anti-national’ content on social media may be punished by imprisonment for anywhere from three years to life in jail. Further, this ‘policy’ carries the threat that obscene and defamatory content posted online will result in criminal defamation charges being brought by the government. Both carrot and stick will be applied to make sure the media toes the official line.

 We note with concern that attacks on the media are growing countrywide, whether they are attacks by police on journos covering the protests against the Kolkata rape murder case or the recent attack on mediapersons by the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s private security agency Cyclops. In the latter case journos covering a student protest were roughed up and a camera and other equipment snatched. We strongly object to such strong arm tactics by university authorities and their agencies to cover lawful protests. 

We are also dismayed by the growing number of attacks on journalists’ livelihoods, with more organisations laying off media persons. Most recently, there is news of the India Today group letting go nearly 200 people, most of them employed with Aajtak and its digital verticals. We strongly object to this pattern of dismissing mediapersons to replace them with AI tools. This, the DUJ fears, will result in further diluting the low journalism standards of many news channels even if it increases their profits. 

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