Congress, AAP and Left parties on Saturday strongly condemned the manhandling of journalists and other employees at the United News of India (UNI) office at 9 Rafi Marg in New Delhi last evening and called the police action a direct assault on press freedom.
In an unprecedented development in the history of independent India’s media, the premises of the country’s prestigious news agency United News of India were forcibly vacated on Friday evening without any prior notice, with a heavy deployment of Delhi Police and paramilitary forces.
Some government officials entered the premises along with about 300 personnel and officers of Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, as well as some lawyers, and began pressuring employees to immediately vacate the newsroom and leave the premises.
Strongly reacting to the sealing of the news agency’s office, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala in a post on X in Hindi said, “The way the media was treated by the police and paramilitary forces at the UNI (United News of India) premises, one thing is clear that the BJP government has issued a Hitler-like decree for the media fraternity.”
“In 2016, the central government imposed a one-day ban on NDTV Group’s Hindi news channel NDTV India for reporting that was exposing the government,” Surjewala further said.
Former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj also condemned the incident.
In a post on X, Bhardwaj said, “This is wrong and unprecedented. This is happening to UNI right here in Delhi. Police cannot use force or threats against the press. The police have no right to abuse anyone.”
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also strongly condemned the alleged conduct of police forces during an operation at the United News of India (UNI) office on Rafi Marg, with party General Secretary M A Baby terming the incident “shocking” and “unacceptable in a democracy.”
In a statement, Baby criticised the role of the Delhi Police and accompanying paramilitary personnel, alleging that journalists were “dragged out and manhandled” during the action. He said the manner in which the operation was conducted reflected “high-handedness” and a disregard for basic rights.
“Such high-handedness, denial of advance notice and time to gather personal belongings, and reported mistreatment, including of women staff, is unacceptable in a democracy and cannot be justified under the cover of a court order,” the CPI(M) leader said.
The incident took place at UNI’s office on Rafi Marg in the heart of the national capital, a key hub for media organisations and government institutions. Journalists present at the scene have alleged that security personnel entered the premises without prior warning and forcibly evicted staff, leading to chaotic scenes and claims of physical mistreatment.
Emphasising the broader implications, Baby warned that such actions threaten the functioning of an independent press. “A free press cannot function under intimidation,” he said, calling on authorities to ensure accountability and safeguard the dignity and rights of journalists.
The United News of India, one of India’s oldest news agencies, has historically played a significant role in disseminating news across the country, and incidents involving its staff have drawn sharp attention from media bodies and political groups alike.
The statement by the CPI (M) adds to growing criticism from sections of the media and civil society, who have raised concerns over the treatment of journalists and the potential chilling effect on press freedom, with calls mounting for a thorough inquiry and accountability for those responsible.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar said in a statement, “The forcible takeover of the Rafi Marg office of United News of India (UNI)—the oldest news agency in the country—by the Delhi Police is a grave and unprecedented assault on press freedom.”
“Journalists were dragged and manhandled; even women journalists were not spared. The employees were denied the basic opportunity to collect their belongings or hear from the management. The entire operation was carried out with shocking disregard for legality, dignity and democratic norms,” he said in the statement.
The news agency has been operating for several decades from its premises at 9 Rafi Marg, New Delhi.