SP minister threatening scribe is an attack on freedom of press: JD (U)

New Delhi [India], Feb 13 (ANI): Condemning the reports of Uttar Pradesh minister Radhey Shyam Singh threatening to burn alive a local journalist, the Janata Dal (United) on Monday dubbed the disturbing development as an attack on the freedom of the press. Asserting that he is rooting for freedom of press, JD(U) leader K.C. Tyagi told ANI, "No party should threaten a journalist to speak in their favor. This is an attack on freedom of press." Manoj Giri, a journalist confessed he is still scared for his life, as the Samajwadi Party MLA had assured to end his life after the Assembly Elections in the state. "I am still in fear and I have seen such acts before also, be it Shahjanpur case where journalists were burnt alive by those who were in power," Giri told ANI. "On Friday I was working in my office and around 2 p.m. Radhey Shyam called me on my mobile phone and started threatening me. He said that as soon as the elections will get over he will kill me," Giri said. "No action is being taken into consideration. There is no spirit of rising against these acts. This has to stop," he added Singh allegedly threatened to set a local journalist (Giri) on fire for not supporting him during the ongoing Assembly elections in the state. However, the politician has firmly denied the claim. The journalist has filed a complaint with the police and has handed over the mobile audio of the alleged threat to the Superintendent of Police, Kushinagar, Raju Babu Singh. In the past too, the minister has been accused of abusing and threatening local government officials over phone.(ANI)