R S Members express concern over harassment of journalists in UP

New Delhi, Apr 22 (UNI) The reports of ''harassment and torture of journalists'' by the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh today prompted Rajya Sabha Members to demand the Government come out with a statement on the issue.

Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Ali Anwar of the Janata Dal(United) said senior and respected journalists like Mehruddin Khan had been put in jail for writing the truth about the government, journalist Samredra Kushwaha of Allahabad kidnapped, and Saminuddin Neelu put behind bars on charges of smuggling after he escaped in a police encounter.

He said it was a matter of grave concern that Mr Mehruddin Khan, who had been news editor of the Navbharat Times and was a widely respected and known journalist, was languishing in jail for the last 15 days just because he dared to write truthfully what was happening in the state.

Mr Anwar urged the Chair to instruct the Minister concerned to tell the the House what was happening in the state.

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