In a sharp response to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s allegations against the BJP for suppressing media freedom, Sarojini Nagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh brought up incidents of alleged attacks on journalists during Yadav’s tenure as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
Yadav had accused the BJP of using intimidation tactics against journalists, tweeting about alleged “encounters” on media freedom under BJP rule. He listed actions like physical assaults, FIRs, and coercion as tools used to pressure journalists.
Singh Highlights Incidents Under Samajwadi Rule
Singh countered by pointing to instances where journalists were targeted during the Samajwadi Party’s government. He mentioned the 2013 killing of journalist Surendra Verma in Etawah, Akhilesh Yadav’s home district. He also cited the 2015 case of journalist Jagendra Singh, who was allegedly burned alive in Shahjahanpur for speaking out against a Samajwadi minister on social media.
श्रीमान अखिलेश जी,
कृपया समाजवादी शासनकाल में पत्रकारों पर हुए इन हमलों को भी याद कीजिए!
– 2013: आपके गृह जनपद इटावा में पत्रकार सुरेंद्र वर्मा जी की गोली मारकर हत्या कर दी गई!
– 2015: शाहजहांपुर में आपके एक मंत्री के खिलाफ फेसबुक पर पोस्ट करने पर वरिष्ठ पत्रकार जगेंद्र सिंह जी… pic.twitter.com/CORU3jgM37— Rajeshwar Singh (@RajeshwarS73) November 3, 2024
Singh also referred to the shooting of TV journalist Hemant Yadav in 2015 and noted that SP workers allegedly attacked journalists in Moradabad in 2021, resulting in injuries to senior journalists Obaid ur Rehman and Farid Shamsi.
“Public and Journalists Won’t Forget,” Singh Asserts
Singh stressed that despite Yadav’s claims, past incidents have left lasting memories among the public and media personnel in Uttar Pradesh. He concluded with a strong assertion that both journalists and citizens remember these incidents and “never want Samajwadi rule” again.
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