GUWAHATI, Nov 4 - Several journalist bodies and political bigwigs of Assam including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today condemned the arrest of Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV Network Arnab Goswami.
Goswami was arrested by Mumbai Police this morning in connection with an abetment of suicide case of 2018.
Immediately after his arrest, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took to Twitter and condemn the police action. Terming it a �black day� for Indian democracy, Sonowal tweeted, �I strongly condemn the assault on senior journalist Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police. Vendetta politics should be stopped and freedom of press should be maintained in Maharashtra� with the immediate release of Goswami, he said.
Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma also condemned Goswami�s arrest and stated that arrest of the senior journalist is nothing but muzzling freedom of the press by the vindictive Maharashtra government.
State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said he was �shocked to learn about the arrest� of Goswami and the action taken by the Maharashtra government.
Condemning the arrest, Gauhati Press Club (GPC) president Manoj Kumar Nath and general secretary Sanjoy Ray in a statement said, �� the manner in which Goswami was arrested�clearly leaves room for suspicion towards witch-hunting.�
The GPC further urged the Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police to ensure that the senior journalist is treated fairly without a prejudiced mindset.
Meanwhile, GPC also expressed its concern at the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure that no bonafide journalist is harassed in the name of investigation by the National Investigation Agency, which is probing the terror funding case.
The Journalists� Forum Assam (JFA) expressed utter dismay over the arrest of senior journalist Goswami and urged the Maharashtra government to release him. Meanwhile, the Journalists Association of�Assam (JAA) appealed to the press fraternity to raise their voice against the �fascist� act of police and Maharashtra government.
Media Trust, Assam chairman Prasanta Jyoti Baruah and its trustee Dileep Chandan in statement said that the high-handed action by the police is an attack on the freedom of the press and the democratic rights of the people enshrined in the Constitution of India.
A section of journalists also staged demonstrations in the city against the action of Mumbai Police. In Lalganesh area, local people held a march this evening demanding immediate release of the senior journalist.
