Journalist Divya Srivastava says she was heckled by BJP supporters and targeted online after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath left a Lucknow press meet without taking questions
NEW DELHI — A woman journalist in Lucknow has alleged that she received online abuse and threats after questioning Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an incident that comes barely days after two women journalists alleged assault and detention by Delhi Police in the national capital.
The incident in Lucknow took place on Saturday (September 11), at a press conference at the BJP state office, according to multiple reports.
Independent journalist Divya Srivastava said Chief Minister Adityanath addressed the media and left without taking questions. In a video that has since gone viral, she is heard saying from the back of the hall, “Mukhyamantri ji sawal ka jawab dijiye? Press vartha hai yeh. Press ka jawab nahi de pa rahein hain aap, bataye! Press conference ke liye bulaya kis liye tha? Aapki awaaz uthane ke liye, aapki apni baat sunne ke liye.(Chief Minister sir, please answer. This is a press conference. You are unable to answer the press! Were we called to the press conference to just listen to you? To raise your voice and to make your own point heard)?”
Divya Srivastava told media persons that as she was leaving, a group of self-proclaimed BJP supporters surrounded her, questioned which channel she represented and shouted at her. She said a campaign was subsequently launched online portraying her as being planted by the Opposition Samajwadi Party or Congress.
Dismissing the claims, she said she is an independent journalist and that attempts were being made to create a distorted narrative around her questions.
Opposition leaders have alleged that Divya Srivastava was later questioned by the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) and threatened by BJP workers with bulldozer action. These claims are based on the journalist’s statements and unverified social media posts and have not been independently confirmed by police.
Political Fallout in Uttar Pradesh
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said the government was avoiding dialogue. “When press conferences are only meant to provide statements and journalists are not allowed to ask questions, the name of ‘press conference’ should be changed to ‘press monologue’,” he said in a post on X sharing the viral video.
https://x.com/yadavakhilesh/
He added, “The truth is that UP is overflowing with questions, but they have no answers. Turning away and leaving, or fleeing the field, is also called that. They show bias in governance and one-sided bluster in press conferences. Now will they also say, ‘Not in the mood to hear questions.’”
Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai said asking questions is not a crime in a democracy and questioned whose orders were behind the alleged LIU interrogation. He said the job of journalism is to raise questions of public interest, not to praise the government.
Resharing the video, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) wrote on X, “UP CM left the Press Conference while a reporter kept asking him to take questions. This is exactly why we rank 157th out of 180 on Press Freedom Index.”
https://x.com/Cockroachisback/
The BJP dismissed the Opposition’s allegations as a conspiracy. State spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, “The Opposition has no issue, so they are deliberately trying to create controversy… The way the question was asked and the Opposition is now trying to make it an issue proves that everything was pre-planned”.
Delhi Assault Allegations
The earlier incident occurred on September 3, at Max Hospital in Saket, South Delhi, during the inauguration of a new wing attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Freelance journalists Shaheen Khan and Nafisa Khan, on assignment for 4PM News Network, alleged that they were detained while covering the event and taken to Saket Police Station, where they were assaulted. In a video message, Shaheen Khan alleged that the assault intensified after personnel learned that her surname was “Khan”.
Delhi Police have denied the allegations, calling them “factually incorrect” and “misleading.” Police said the journalists had refused to remove their vehicle and clear a VVIP route despite repeated requests and were taken to the local police station for enquiry due to security protocol.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association and Kerala Union of Working Journalists issued a joint statement condemning the alleged assault and demanding punitive action against officials posted at Saket Police Station, including the SHO, and a free and fair investigation.
In a post on X, 4PM News Network said: “If a journalist is beaten simply for asking questions of the Chief Minister, this issue isn’t just about Shaheen or 4PM. It is a question of journalism in the entire country and the freedom of the press.”
