Varanasi — Uttar Pradesh Congress President and former minister Ajay Rai has strongly condemned the filing of FIRs against six journalists who reportedly questioned the viral video of a man climbing the statue of Bharat Ratna Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in Varanasi.
The incident occurred after a video surfaced showing a youth atop the revered statue. Instead of acting against the person seen in the video, local authorities at Lanka Police Station registered cases against journalists Arshad, Abhishek Jha, Abhishek Tripathi, Sonu Singh, Shailesh, and Nitin Kumar Rai — all of whom had sought accountability regarding the incident.
Reacting sharply, Ajay Rai said, “It is shameful that those asking questions are being criminalised, while the actual wrongdoer is ignored. This reflects the oppressive mindset of the BJP-led government, where seeking truth is treated as a crime.”
He added that journalism is a powerful tool in a democratic society. “The pen symbolizes truth, awareness, and justice. Journalists serve as the voice of the people and are essential to social transformation. But in this regime, showing the mirror to power has become an offence — because the government can’t face its own reflection marred by its failures.”
Rai emphasized that from senior journalists to grassroots reporters, anyone practicing unbiased journalism is viewed as a threat by the government. “What was the fault of these six journalists in Kashi? The video clearly shows a man disrespecting Malaviya Ji’s statue, and the journalists merely asked questions. Yet the administration chose to target the messengers instead of the offender,” he said.
Pledging full support to the media fraternity, he said, “As a democratic right, no one can snatch the freedom to question. The Congress party stands firmly with journalists. Filing cases against them is nothing but cowardice by the government. Throughout history, journalists have played a crucial role — from the freedom struggle to defending democracy even today.”
Ajay Rai concluded by demanding immediate withdrawal of all false charges against the journalists and urged that strict action be taken against the actual offender. “The administration must be held accountable. The Congress Party will not tolerate such authoritarian behavior and will continue to stand by the truth and those who speak it.”
