Senior journalists threatened: Ashok Chavan urges Rajnath to take cognizance

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Thursday expressed concerns over safety of senior journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Ravish Kumar and addressed vulnerability of their lives.

In a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chavan highlighted the alleged life threats issued to these journalists by a section of netizens.

Recalling the assassinations of rationalists Narendra Da bholkar, MN Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh in the recent past, Chavan said such incidents are "direct attack on the fourth pillar of democracy".

"These murders are a shameful chapter in the history of independent India for all of us as duly elected representatives of people sitting in the parliament," he stated.

Appreciating the work of Sardesai and Ravish Kumar, he said they are doing their job in a democratic manner and silencing their voice by such threats is no way acceptable and must be dealt with, going beyond party lines.

In the letter, the Congress leader demanded the NDA government to act before yet another ignominy happens.

He urged Centre to take immediate actions to ensure that no physical harm is caused to these two journalists and hunt fanatically minded people and book them under the law.

He said this would set a great example to deter all those who do or intend to indulge in violent means and practices.