Journalist Abhisar Sharma Challenges Assam FIR: A Legal Battle Looms
Journalist Abhisar Sharma has called an FIR filed by Guwahati Police against him 'baseless,' pledging to respond legally. The case involves accusations of promoting religious enmity through a video critiquing Assam's government policies. This marks a growing trend of legal actions against journalists in the region.
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Journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma finds himself embroiled in a legal controversy after the Guwahati Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against him, alleging provocation of religious enmity in one of his videos. Sharma has dismissed the charges as 'completely baseless' and intends to contest them in court.
The content of Sharma's video purportedly critiques the governmental decisions in Assam, notably spotlighting the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's 'communal politics' based on his public statements. Abhisar also referenced an Assam judge's remarks regarding land allocation to Mahabal Cement, stirring political and social media discourse.
The FIR invokes sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including clauses dealing with sedition and promoting enmity. This comes amid a wave of legal scrutiny on journalists in Assam, as seen with similar cases against other prominent media figures like Siddharth Vardarajan and Karan Thapar, highlighting concerns over press freedom.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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