Editors Guild, NBA condemn attack on TV channel office in New Delhi

The Editors Guild of India has strongly condemned the attack on the office of a leading English news channel saying such methods to try and silence the media will only "backfire".

Suspected Sangh Parivar activists barged into a building housing Headlines Today and its sister channel Aaj Tak here last evening and damaged furniture in the office lobby, police said.

Police used force to control the mob. No one was, however, injured in the incident.

The activists were angry over a sting operation telecast by Headlines Today which purportedly showed some RSS functionaries planning to attack Vice President Hamid Ansari.

"All organisations who believe in freedom of the media must protest against such intimidatory and uncivilised behaviour," the Guild said in a statement.

"Such fascist methods to try and silence the media will only backfire," Guild President Rajdeep Sardesai said.

The incident was also condemned by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA).

The NBA also voiced concern about the growing incidents of violence against journalists. "There can be no acceptable reason for attacking the media who help make possible the fundamental right of freedom of expression," it said.