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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today that those working for online portals are not recognized as journalists under the state government's rules. His reference was to Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, journalist from a city-based news portal, who was arrested under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The journalist was accused of abusing a guard of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank. He got a bail from a court in Guwahati, but was arrested again today in another case.
Amid massive protests from the media, the Chief Minister, in a post on X, said: "It has come to my notice that some media houses have reported the arrest of a journalist by Assam Police. I would like to clarify that Assam Police has not arrested any journalist in recent times".
Mr Sarma categorically said the Directorate of Information and Public Relations does not officially recognize journalists from online news portals.
"I believe he is just an individual, and there is speculation that he is a businessman. He owns dumpers and operates as a part-time journalist for a portal that is promoted by a politician," he added, questioning how it could be determined if he went to the bank for news coverage or other purposes.
He said if the protesting journalists provide him with a written statement affirming that he is a journalist and take full responsibility, "I will release him right now".
The Chief Minister said that there are three cases against Mozumder, and he will need to secure bail for each.
The journalist had gone to the bank to cover a protest over allegations of irregularities against the bank. A video clip shared on social media before his arrest on Tuesday showed him asking a question to the managing director (MD), Dambaru Saikia.
The questions were about the recruitment scam, which Mr Saikia refused to answer.
Mozumder -- the assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club - was summoned to the Panbazar police station on Tuesday afternoon. He was detained until after midnight, when he was formally arrested.
He has been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to criminal intimidation, and relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
On Wednesday, journalists in Guwahati staged a protest at the Press Club against Mozumder's arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom. There were protests in different places of Assam demanding his release.
"Dear President / Secretary of @pressclubghy, Will you kindly reveal if Dilwar Hussain is a practising advocate or a journalist or/ also a businessman?" posted Pijush Hazarika, Minister for Information and public relations in X, formerly Twitter.
The Guwahati press club has strongly condemned the rearrest of Mozumdar in another case after he had got bail in the first case. The Guwahati Press Club said it is 'surprised' at the move of the government and demanded immediate release of Mozumder.
"The arrest of senior journalist and Gauhati Press Club assistant general secretary Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar in a second case immediately after being granted bail by the court is shocking. Gauhati Press Club reiterates it's demand for unconditional, immediate release of Mazumdar. Gauhati Press Club remains firm on its stand with journalists at all times," read a statement.
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