Journalists harassed, beaten and attacked
Media Action Nepal | April 18: On April 12, a dramatic demonstration held in Birgunj Metropolitan City of Madhesh Province during Hanuman Jayanti led to incidents of harassment, physical assault, and attacks against journalists. Following the tension in Birgunj, authorities issued prohibitory orders until April 13, which were later extended..
Suresh Bidari, a freelance journalist and contributor to Himal Khabar, has been subjected to online bullying and harassment since writing a piece for Himal Khabar following violent protests in Birgunj, which prompted authorities to impose a curfew to restore order.
Bidari told Media Action Nepal today that pro-Hindu activists have targeted him for his reporting.
“They took screenshots of my posts and articles and posted them on social media platforms, including Facebook, with derogatory and harassing captions. Unfortunately, the post only includes a screenshot of a portion of the article. However, I have mentioned and cited several people to balance both sides,” he said.
“This is journalist Suresh Bidari, who has often written against Hinduism. The entire Nepal is aware of the attack on Hindus in Parsa district on the day of Hanuman Jayanti, but he, sitting in Kathmandu, prepares a news item through Himal Khabar in which he blames the entire incident on the Hindu community. While the reality of the incident was not as portrayed,” reads a post by the Youths of Birgunj Facebook page.
The post further states, “According to the CDO of Parsa district, the clash began when a person snatched a Hindu flag. However, Suresh Bidari prepared the news, claiming that Hindus threw stones and placing all blame on Hindus. Living in Kathmandu, he has defamed the Hindu community by reporting in a biased manner. This is not the first time he has written news that is anti-Hindu. Bringing such journalists to justice for spreading hatred in society and defaming Hinduism is a pressing issue today. His statement that religious activities such as the Chariot Procession will not produce good results on the SEE exam was anti-Hindu.”
The post has attracted several likes and comments that are derogatory to journalist Bidari.
He shared, “I am slightly disturbed and feeling harassed with these targeted campaigns against me, but I have just done my work putting facts together. Moreover, I am worried about my family members as they may face threats and feel unsafe.”
He added, “Journalists should avoid taking sides and present facts, as I have done in my work. However, certain individuals with vested interests are fuelling hate speech and disinformation on social media regarding sensitive topics.”
Meanwhile, other journalists were injured while reporting, including Avenues TV reporter Arjun Gupta, Madhya Nepal‘s Anil Ojha, and Chandra Surya Wani’s Dhirendra Tiwari. On April 15, journalist Gupta sustained a severe head injury as a result of stone pelting.
Speaking to Media Action Nepal, Gupta shared, “We had gone to the Parsa District Police office to report the detained people from the protests. In the meantime, we were attacked by stone pelting, resulting in head injuries. So far, I am fine now, but I am planning to go to the capital city for treatment. My television has also promised better treatments in the valley.”
Media Action Nepal condemns these targeted attacks against journalists and calls for urgent action against the perpetrators. “There should be no excuse for crimes against journalists. We demand an immediate investigation into these incidents and strong action to ensure safety of reporters,” said Laxman Datt Pant, Executive Director of Media Action Nepal.
Featured photo courtesy of the victim, Arjun Gupta, who sustained severe head injuries during the attack.
