New Delhi: A group of Sri Ram Sene activists on Wednesday tried to disrupt a seminar being attended by journalists from India and Pakistan here protesting the alleged criticism of the Indian media by Pakistani scribes.
The trouble started when Pakistani journalist Khan Yusufzai (The News) referred to an article which suggested India to attack Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks while speaking at the seminar on the theme 'Is Media Jingoism fanning Indo-Pak Tensions?'
Around 10 people sitting inside the main auditorium started clapping at the suggestion and began shouting slogans like 'Pakistan Hai Hai' and 'Pakistan Murdabad'. They also demanded that the seminar be immediately wrapped up.
However, security personnel of the IIC, where the seminar is held, intervened and the protesters were taken out of the hall. Later, they were taken out of the IIC premises, where police has deployed over 50 personnel.
"The meeting was disrupted for a brief period. It resumed after some time," Madhur Trehan, one of the organisers and president of the Foundation of Media Professionals, said.
A senior police official said no one has been detained in connection with the incident.
Sri Ram Sene National General Secretary Vinay Kumar Singh told PTI that their protest was against accusations allegedly made by Pakistani journalists and writer Arundhati Roy that Indian media is "sponsored" by the US.
"Nothing happened. The activist came inside, started shouting stupid slogans and tried to disrupt proceedings, but was shown the door. They weren't able to do what they intended to do. It's become a practise to disrupt any healthy debate on any issue. All of us wanted to hear what our Pakistani journalist friends wanted to say, but then despite the disruption, proceedings went on as usual" — Investigative journalist Aniruddha Bahal to CNN-IBN
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