Journalist Pushp Sharma who said AYUSH denied jobs to Muslim candidates arrested for ‘forgery’.............India TV News Desk.
The journalist who published a report claiming that the AYUSH ministry had denied jobs to Muslims as part of government policy has today been arrested by the Delhi Police on charges of fabricating an RTI reply from the government in the same context.
The journalist, Pushp Sharma, in a report published in the Milli Gazette, had cited an RTI response from the AYUSH ministry to claim that the ministry did not employ any Muslims as Yoga trainers for the World Yoga Day.
The story, published in the March 16-31 issue of the Milli Gazette, was subsequently picked up by several media outlets leading to a huge controversy on the matter. The AYUSH ministry, however, denied the claim and termed the report as “fabricated and mischevious”.
“The Ministry has rejected a purported 'fabricated and mischievous' RTI reply which had claimed that the Centre does not recruit Muslims in the ministry as a policy,” AYUSH ministry had said in a statement then.
The ministry further claimed that the fabricated draft being circulated as Annexure I to the RTI response was never actually issued. It them moved a complaint with the Delhi Police and an investigation was launched.
Meanwhile, Sharma, who alleged that the Centre's discriminated against Muslims in the Yoga teachers' selection process for International Yoga Day, stood his ground saying the story was based on the response he received from the ministry.
Sharma’s story was published by The Milli Gazette, and picked up by news outlets, said that as per government policy, AYUSH Ministry did not recruit any Muslim as Yoga trainer.
Zafarul-Islam Khan, chief editor of the Milli Gazette, said, “The Ayush Ministry FIR against the journalist and the Press Council of India’s suo moto action are clear attempts to stifle the freedom of the press.”
“While the Ayush Ministry was quick to file a complaint with the police, it failed to make any contact in any manner with the news magazine. Moreover, the PCI, instead of protecting journalists and media publications, seems to be taking the side of the government,” he alleged. As per reports, he is likely to be produced in court shortly.
Zafarul-Islam Khan, chief editor of the Milli Gazette, said, “The Ayush Ministry FIR against the journalist and the Press Council of India’s suo moto action are clear attempts to stifle the freedom of the press.”
“While the Ayush Ministry was quick to file a complaint with the police, it failed to make any contact in any manner with the news magazine. Moreover, the PCI, instead of protecting journalists and media publications, seems to be taking the side of the government,” he alleged. As per reports, he is likely to be produced in court shortly.