Editors Guild condemns attack on journalist Nikhil Wagle, Kharge slams Maharashtra government

Mumbai, February 10

The Editors Guild of India on Saturday condemned the attack on senior journalist Nikhil Wagle in Pune and expressed concern about the police’s action of registering a case against him over a controversial comment, while the Congress said the incident reflected the collapse of rule of law in Maharashtra.

A day after the car taking Wagle to a public meeting was attacked, allegedly by BJP workers who were protesting his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LK Advani after the BJP veteran was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the police on Saturday registered a case against some BJP workers.

The Editors Guild called on the administration in Pune and the Maharashtra government to book the guilty through a statement issued from Delhi.

“We urge law enforcement agencies to exercise restraint before registering complaints against journalists as an FIR, lest the process of investigation becomes a punishment itself,” stated the journalists’ association.

In a post on X in Hindi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Law and order has collapsed under the Maharashtra government formed by the BJP’s stealing of mandate.”

He added, “A politician is being brutally murdered on Facebook Live. An outspoken journalist is being attacked by unruly goons of the BJP-RSS. A BJP MLA is openly shooting at another politician in the police station.”