Cong workers hold rally in support of journalists

Tribune News Service
Jammu, May 9

A day after the Leh police registered an FIR against BJP leaders for allegedly trying to bribe journalists to influence the outcome of the Lok Sabha poll in Ladakh, the Congress on Thursday took out a rally in support of Leh Press Club.

The protesters demanded immediate expulsion of BJP state president Ravinder Raina and MLC Vikram Randhawa, who allegedly handed over envelopes to journalists after a media briefing in Leh on May 2.

Hundreds of Congress workers assembled at Lower Chowk and took out a rally up to Upper Chowk in Leh. They raised slogans against the BJP.

“The BJP has stooped so low. It tried to bribe journalists of Leh district, who upheld the high moral values and ethics while rejecting the offer of party leaders. We want a strict legal action against them after registering an FIR,” said Deldan Namgyal, former MLA, Nubra.

Congress district president Tsering Namgyal said the party had urged Governor Satya Pal Malik for an impartial inquiry into the case to ensure justice to journalists.

“The BJP should also expel both leaders from the party on moral grounds. We appeal to all political, religious and social groups of Leh district and elected panchayat members to support journalists at this crucial juncture,” said the Congress leader.

The Leh police had on Wednesday register an FIR against the BJP leaders on the directions of the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Leh, following a written complaint that some leaders of the BJP offered packets containing cash to mediapersons at a press conference on May 2

On the other hand, the BJP state president said the party had constituted a high-level committee to hold an internal probe into the incident. He, however, denied the charge of bribing the journalists, saying “the campaign was part of a political conspiracy against him”.

The Leh journalists have also been asked to record their statements before the police on Friday.