Press Club Demands Withdrawal of FIR Against Abhisar Sharma

Rapid Summary

• The Press Club of India (PCI) has demanded the withdrawal of an FIR filed by Assam Police against journalist abhisar Sharma.
• The FIR accuses Sharma of remarks allegedly made with “mala fide intent to disrepute elected governments,” provoking communal sentiments, and threatening national integrity, invoking Section 152 (sedition), along with Sections 196 and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
• PCI criticized Assam Police for ignoring the Supreme Court’s interim protection granted to editors Siddharth Varadarajan and karan Thapar in a similar case involving Section 152.
• PCI stated these actions reflect intolerance and disregard for press freedom.
• Separately, YouTube removed Odia journalist Ruben banerjee’s channel ‘Mu Ruben Kahuchhi’, citing alleged violations of its “circumvention policy” without prior notice or warning. Banerjee is also known for covering social welfare issues and politics.
• PCI called both actions part of a larger trend targeting journalists and media organizations as attacks on freedom of speech.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The cases highlighted by PCI touch on critical issues surrounding press freedom in India today: legal challenges faced by journalists under stringent laws like sedition provisions (Section 152) as well as private platform dynamics affecting creators’ access to audiences without due process or transparency. While protection from misuse has been underscored previously by Supreme Court interventions like granting interim relief to other editors, repetition suggests systemic application concerns that need addressing through consistent checks on law enforcement discretion.

simultaneously, platforms such as YouTube removing channels arbitrarily signals vulnerability when relying heavily on social media platforms for outreach-an evolving challenge not easily solved within judicial frameworks but requiring stakeholders’ collaboration regarding fairness policies.

Both incidents underline institutional responsibilities pivotal in avoiding escalation into suppression perceptions undermining democratic values central to India’s constitutional ethos concerning free expression rights.

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