Guwahati: A series of legal cases initiated by the Assam Police against prominent journalists Siddharth Varadarajan, Karan Thapar, and Abhisar Sharma has ignited protests staged by members of the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) on Wednesday in New Delhi, against the Assam government for its alleged “anti-journalist policies.”
According to media reports, the protesters marched from Kerala House towards Jantar Mantar in the national capital; however, Delhi Police did not grant permission to demonstrate outside Assam House.
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The outrage was sparked in response to the FIRs filed against senior journalists Siddharth Varadarajan and Karan Thapar, as well as independent journalist Abhisar Sharma. The charges have drawn sharp condemnation from journalist associations.
The FIR filed against Varadarajan and Thapar on May 9 cites 14 interviews and articles allegedly “against the sovereignty and integrity of India,” according to reports.
In a separate case, the Guwahati Crime Branch filed an FIR against independent journalist and YouTuber Abhisar Sharma based on a complaint filed by Alok Baruah, who alleged that a video Sharma created on August 8 on his YouTube channel criticized the state government and promoted communal enmity.
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Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty and DUJ President Sujata Madhok, along with other media personnel, have strongly criticized the Assam government’s actions, urging the authorities to reconsider the cases.
In recent rulings, the Supreme Court on August 22 granted protection from “coercive action” to Varadarajan and Thapar, while also instructing them to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Sharma also approached the Supreme Court, challenging the FIR against him under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). His plea argues that criticism of government policies is a protected right and should not be equated with anti-national activity.
The developments underscore growing concerns among media advocates, who claim that the legal system is being used to intimidate journalists and stifle dissent—making it a trend now under intense national scrutiny.