Journalist arrested for his political satire after Congress accuses him of spreading ‘fake news’
04 Mar 2022 15:59:00
Raipur, March 4: The Chhattishgarh Police arrested Raipur based journalist Nilesh Sharma for his popular political satire. He has been accused of spreading fake news against the Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh.
According to reports, Nishad accused the journalist of favouring the BJP and the RSS and said that he is a part of ‘Godi media’. He alleged that through his show ‘Gharwa Ke Mati’, Sharma is deliberately using derogatory language against the Congress leaders. “The portal indiawriters.co.in is spreading negativity and drawing a wedge among the leaders and office bearers of Congress”, he added in the FIR. Nilesh Sharma was produced before a local court and was arrested on Thursday evening.
It is also important to note that Congress’ Rahul Gandhi has probably failed to teach the ‘free speech’ lesson to its own govt in Chhattisgarh, as he has been doing it at national level. Gandhi for several times in the past has attacked BJP led govt for allegedly not respecting the Freedom of Speech and Expression.
In a similar incident that took place in Manipur in 2019, where journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem was detained by the Manipur Police for his comment targeting the state govt, Rahul Gandhi had said that BJP had no respect for the ‘Freedom of Speech’.
Nilesh Sharma is an Editor of the web portal indiawriters.co.in and print magazine ‘India Writers’. According to reports, he runs a popular series based on political satire in the name of ‘Ghurva Ke Mati’. The series uses fictional characters resonating with the Congress leaders and MLAs in Chhattisgarh.
Catering to the growing intolerance, one of the Congress workers Khilwan Nishad lodged a complaint against Sharma and accused him of using derogatory language against the Congress leaders of the state. The cyber cell of the Police immediately acted upon the complaint and arrested Sharma late in the night.
According to reports, Nishad accused the journalist of favouring the BJP and the RSS and said that he is a part of ‘Godi media’. He alleged that through his show ‘Gharwa Ke Mati’, Sharma is deliberately using derogatory language against the Congress leaders. “The portal indiawriters.co.in is spreading negativity and drawing a wedge among the leaders and office bearers of Congress”, he added in the FIR. Nilesh Sharma was produced before a local court and was arrested on Thursday evening.
It is noteworthy that the same web portal ran a similar series that was critical of the then Raman Singh-led BJP govt. In October, two journalists of another web portal were arrested for allegedly publishing content against the Congress lawmakers in the state & extorting money from them.
It is also important to note that Congress’ Rahul Gandhi has probably failed to teach the ‘free speech’ lesson to its own govt in Chhattisgarh, as he has been doing it at national level. Gandhi for several times in the past has attacked BJP led govt for allegedly not respecting the Freedom of Speech and Expression.
In a similar incident that took place in Manipur in 2019, where journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem was detained by the Manipur Police for his comment targeting the state govt, Rahul Gandhi had said that BJP had no respect for the ‘Freedom of Speech’.