ABP Majha had debunked the allegations that its reportage on April 14 could be linked to the huge crowd of migrants outside Bandra west station. In a statement, the Marathi TV news channel termed reports linking the migrant gathering with its news reports as "entirely misconceived and circulated with the sole intention of baselessly maligning ABP Majha".
Claiming its stories were broadcast in the public interest, it said it had valid documents and information, on the basis of which it ran multiple stories on the channel. Taking serious note of the incident, several media associations came forward in support of Kulkarni and ABP Majha demanding a thorough probe to be carried out before arresting journalists.
Condemning the incident, BEA President Supriya Prasad today said: "At the time when journalists are playing a vital role during this global crisis, the arrest of Rahul Kulkarni is highly condemnable as it amounts to discouraging the media from keeping the public informed about the pandemic and about the government's response and plans to deal with it at different levels."
Read The Full Statement Issued By Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) President:
Broadcast Editors' Association condemns journalist's arrest in Mumbai
The Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) denounced the arrest of ABP Majha journalist Rahul Kulkarni in connection with the Bandra chaos two days ago.
BEA condemns the arrest of Raul Kulkarni as it’s a serious infringement on the right of freedom of speech and is an attack on the freedom of press. BEA urges to free Rahul Kulkarni from all the charges imposed on him.
At the time when Journalists are playing a vital role during this global crisis, the arrest of Rahul Kulkarni is highly condemnable as it amounts to discouraging the media from keeping the public informed about the pandemic and about the government's response and plans to deal with it at different levels.
The BEA emphasised that authorities across the country, while tackling the Covid-19 situation, should ensure that the media's right to report freely and fearlessly is not compromised at any stage. Like other frontline crews, such as doctors, police and paramedics, journalists are also performing their professional duties under intense pressure. It's the responsibility of the state to ensure a conducive environment for journalism during these hard times.
Supriya Prasad
President, BEA