US Lawmakers Condemn Attack on Indian Journalist
Rohit Sharma in Dallas, Urge Action for Press Freedom

Img Courtesy: ConnectedtoIndia

Los Angeles/Sept 19, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/A.Gary Singh

Two prominent U.S. lawmakers have expressed outrage over the alleged assault of Indian journalist Rohit Sharma in Dallas last week, condemning the actions of members of the Indian Overseas Congress who reportedly manhandled Sharma and deleted his interview recordings. They emphasized that the incident represented a violation of the First Amendment, which guarantees press freedom in the United States.

The incident occurred on September 7, shortly after Sharma, a journalist for India Today, conducted an interview with Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress. According to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, Sharma was physically restrained from leaving the interview room by several individuals who blocked his further questioning of Pitroda. They allegedly took his phone, unlocked it using Face ID, and deleted the interview he had just recorded.

Khanna stated:
Congressman Ro Khanna, co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus, spoke in support of Sharma and condemned the actions of those involved. “I stand firmly with Rohit Sharma. He is a fair journalist, and it is completely unethical for anyone to take his phone and delete his recordings. This is a violation of free speech, and it should never happen in America,”

Thanedar said:
Congressman Shri Thanedar also expressed his disapproval, calling the attack on Sharma “utterly unacceptable.” He stressed that the First Amendment protects all journalists in the U.S., regardless of nationality. “Sharma had an on-the-record interview with Sam Pitroda, and the security team had no authority to take his phone or alter any content. This is a clear breach of press freedom.,”

Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, criticized the incident as well, underscoring the importance of press freedom in any democracy. She noted that security teams have no role in determining the content or duration of an interview and no right to interfere with a journalist’s work.

Ajay Bhutoria who is a prominent Indian-American leader, also condemned the incident, which reportedly involved members of Rahul Gandhi’s team during the opposition leader’s U.S. visit. “I strongly condemn the assault on Rohit Sharma. The freedom of the press is essential to democracy, and such actions are an affront to those principles. The U.S. Department of Justice should launch an investigation into this matter,”

Bhutoria also criticized Rahul Gandhi’s conduct during his U.S. visit, accusing him of tarnishing India’s image with divisive comments. “This incident is just one example of the disregard for democratic values and press freedom that Gandhi and his team have demonstrated during their time in the U.S.,” he added.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi also took to X (formerly Twitter) to express support for Sharma and press freedom. “I stand with the First Amendment and the rights of the free press. No journalist should be subjected to this kind of harassment,” Krishnamoorthi posted.

Sharma recounted the event to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, describing how he was prevented from standing up and how his phone was taken and passed around. “They used my Face ID to unlock the phone and then deleted the recording,” Sharma said. He noted that the attackers even accessed his Recently Deleted folder to permanently remove the interview.

Sam Pitroda later apologized to Sharma for the incident, affirming his support for press freedom and pledging to investigate those responsible. However, according to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, Pitroda has not provided any further updates on the status of the investigation.

The incident has sparked widespread criticism, raising alarms about press freedom and the treatment of journalists. Lawmakers and media organizations alike have called for immediate accountability and protection of journalists both in the U.S. and abroad.

New Source: Click Here