Guj media protests against attack on fraternity

Ahmedabad, Jul 19 (UNI) The city-based media fraternity today garnered support from every nook and corner of Gujarat to protest against yesterday's attack on some journalists by followers of Spiritual Guru, Asaram Bapu, while they were covering the 'bandh call' given for mysterious death of two boys in the Ashram at Sabarmati area of the city on July 5.

A large rally of around 500 mediapersons from different publications, opposing the attack on journalists and cameramen by followers of Asaram Bapu, was today taken out from Sabarmati Police Station to Ashram this morning.

However, police stopped the rally outside the Ashram and detained all the mediapersons, who were released later.

Yesterday, the ashram employees targetted the media for filming and taking snaps of them, while they (followers) were thrashing people on the road. Cameras and vehicles of the crew were also damaged in the attack. They also attacked around half a dozen journalists, including Principal Correspondent of Aajtak Television, Gopi Gangar, who sustained minor injuries.

Meanwhile, in Surat, Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah today described the attack as ''unfair'' and asserted that such attacks cannot be tolerated.

Mr Shah has also ordered a police inquiry into the incident and said that stern action will be initiated against the culprits.

He said ''attack on mediapersons is intolerable and we are trying to trace the forces behind the attack. It is not correct to say that police were absent from the scene and did nothing to save the media representatives.'' ''Such attacks can never be justified,'' he added.

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