TL;DR: Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair has once again been booked by the police 🚔, this time for allegedly inciting violence 🔥, but many believe it's an attempt to silence critical voices 👁️🗨️. The FIR was filed by an aide of controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand 🙄. Zubair claims the charges are baseless and no verification was done 👎. This looks more like an attack on free speech than a genuine case ⚖️.
In yet another blow to media freedom 📢, Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair has been booked by the Ghaziabad Police 🚔 following a complaint by Udita Tyagi, an aide of Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial priest 🛐 known for his inflammatory speeches 🔥. The FIR accuses Zubair of promoting enmity between religious groups 🙄, fabricating evidence 🧐, and inciting violence 😱.
But here's the catch! Zubair claims that the charges are false 💯 and that the police didn't even bother verifying the information before filing the FIR 🤷♂️. "There were other journalists who reported on this issue 📹, but the FIR against me seems intentional," Zubair said in a statement to The Indian Express.
What's The FIR About? 🤔
The complaint was filed by Udita Tyagi, who is the general secretary of the Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati Trust 📜. According to her, Zubair posted edited video clips of Narsinghanand on social media 🎥 to provoke Muslims against the priest 🗣️. She also claimed that Zubair’s posts on October 4 and 5 led to an attempted attack on the Dasna Devi temple 😱, and that police intervention was the only thing that prevented a disaster 🛑. Tyagi even alleged that she received death threats 💀 after Zubair mentioned her and BJP MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar in his posts.
However, Zubair denies all allegations ✋ and says that the police action against him is nothing more than an attempt to intimidate journalists who expose the truth 🌐.
Media Under Fire 🔥
This is not the first time Zubair or Alt-News has been in the government’s crosshairs 🎯. Alt-News, known for exposing fake news 🕵️♂️, has consistently highlighted misinformation spread by right-wing groups and their supporters 💬. Zubair himself has faced multiple legal battles 👨⚖️ in the past, most of which revolve around his fact-checking work 📰.
Many see this case as another attempt to curb dissent and silence those who dare to challenge the establishment 📢. Alt-News has played a crucial role in debunking fake news 📰 and fact-checking claims, often countering narratives that favor the ruling party 👀. The frequent targeting of Zubair seems to be part of a broader pattern of harassment against independent media 🛑.
Support and Protests 👊
On Monday, over 100 people gathered outside the Ghaziabad Police Commissioner’s office 👥, demanding action against Zubair and clarity on Narsinghanand’s whereabouts 🚶♂️. The priest had been detained following an alleged hate speech 🗣️ at an event in Ghaziabad, but his supporters are calling for Zubair’s arrest instead 😡.
Meanwhile, many journalists and civil society groups have spoken out in support of Zubair ✊, calling this an attack on media freedom 📰. They argue that targeting journalists for doing their job is a dangerous trend that threatens democracy itself 🏛️.
Is It Really About Law and Order? ⚖️
While the police are "investigating" the case 🧐, the big question remains—why is Zubair being targeted when his only "crime" seems to be exposing the truth? 🔍 It's hard to ignore the pattern here, where journalists who question or fact-check the government and its allies are slapped with legal charges ⚖️.
This situation reflects a growing intolerance toward any form of criticism or accountability 🗣️. As more independent media outlets are attacked 🎯, the space for free speech and critical journalism continues to shrink 📉.
MediaFx Opinion 🗣️
At MediaFx, we believe that Alt-News has been repeatedly targeted by the Modi government for exposing fake news 📢. This isn't just about one journalist—it's an attack on media freedom 📰. And it’s not just journalists who should be worried; every person who values our Constitution and free speech should be protesting ✊.
This is a critical moment for our democracy 🏛️, and if we don't speak up now, tomorrow it might be too late ⏳. Let's not allow the voices of truth to be silenced 🔇.
