Editors Guild deplores Sushma's tweet on woman journalist

The Editors Guild on Wednesday deplored a tweet by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj concerning a woman journalist and said it was an "attempt to intimidate the media".

In a statement, the Editors Guild said the minister had set an "unfortunate precedent".

"The Editors Guild has deplored the attempt to intimidate the media by Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. The minister by personally naming a woman journalist and casting aspersions on her in a tweet has set an unfortunate precedent," the statement said.

It said such remarks can be viewed as a threat to silence journalists.

"While the media should be open to criticism, such statements by persons in power can be viewed as a threat meant to silence journalists and discourage them from carrying out their legitimate professional duties," the statement said.

Sushma Swaraj is facing demands from the Congress party for her resignation over the assistance she extended to former IPL chief Lalit Modi in securing travel documents from British authorities after his Indian passport was revoked. Modi is facing various investigations in India for alleged tax evasion.

Sushma Swaraj had targeted a senior journalist of a news channel that was reporting on the Lalit Modi episode. "Look who is preaching propriety - of all the persons Navika Kumar!" she posted on Sunday.