PUNJAB CM CONDEMNS FIR AGAINST THE TRIBUNE REPORTER OVER AADHAR LEAKAGE CASE

PUNJAB CM CONDEMNS FIR AGAINST THE TRIBUNE REPORTER OVER AADHAR LEAKAGE CASE

BAJWA, JAKHAR, THUKRAL MEET PROTESTING TRIBUNE EMPLOYEES TO CONVEY SUPPORT

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, January 9:
The Punjab Government, led by Captain Amarinder Singh, has extended its support to the media protests against the filing of an FIR against a journalist of The Tribune over the Aadhar leakage case.
Besides Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and PPCC president Sunil Jakhar, Media Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister, Raveen Thukral, joined the Tribune employees in condemning the FIR and demanding its revocation
Bajwa lashed out at the witch hunt unleashed by the central government against The Tribune reporter over the Aadhar leak story. The filing of FIR against The Tribune correspondent amounted to sheer victimisation and could not be condoned at any cost, he said, adding that such acts were violative of the democratic ethos and principles.
Sunil Jakhar lashed out at the attack on the Press by the current regime at the Centre. He cited the killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh and various other incidents of blatant assault on the media.
Pointing out that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had opposed Aadhar when they were in the opposition, Jakhar said the Centre should plug the flaws in the Aadhar system and ensure that privacy is safeguarded. The entire leakage episode should be investigated, he said.
Jakhar accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of suppressing the voice of the media, and in fact the people at large, and added that this did not behove well of a democratically elected government.

Both Bajwa and Jakhar minced no words in condemning the outrageous act of the central government in getting an FIR registered, through UIADI, against a journalist who had merely done her job. How can a journalist be prosecuted for doing her work, without malice, they asked, adding that the way the central government was stifling the voice of democratic institutions did not augur well for the country.
All democratic forces should come together to fight this trend, which, if unchecked, would destroy the very fabric which holds the nation together, they added.
Thukral conveyed Captain Amarinder’s personal support to the agitating Tribune employees during a visit to their protest site. Though the Chief Minister could not meet them personally as he was ill-disposed, he had assured of his government’s full backing to the media in the interest of press freedom, Thukral told the protestors.
The Chief Minister was in favour of the central government plugging the Aadhar leaks instead of putting the plug on the system which had exposed the loopholes, said Thukral, adding that the Congress government in Punjab would do its best to fully protect the freedom of the fourth pillar of democracy.
Thukral said he was personally shocked by the act of persecution and urged the Centre to withdraw the FIR and order a thorough investigation into the alleged leakage of Aadhar data, as exposed by The Tribune.