Days after a few journalists faced temporary restrictions at the Delhi assembly, three women journalists were removed from the Delhi BJP WhatsApp group on International Women’s Day.
These include Gulisha Munsif from IANS, Shalini from Live Times and Bhavana from News India. While the BJP did not explain the move, sources said they were the only journalists within the group to have met Leader of Opposition Atishi Singh and shared a picture of the same just hours before they were removed.
Newslaundry reached out to Delhi BJP media cell head Praveen Kapoor for comment. This report will be updated if he responds.
One of these three journalists said they had met Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Kapoor the same day they met Atishi and posted a picture of the meeting on social media. “I can’t see any other reason. I’ve been a part of this group for a long time. I cover both BJP and AAP. Then what else could be the reason for removing me? There are many other journalists in it. Only the three of us were removed.”
Another journalist said “I joined the BJP group” as per workspace instructions after the change of government in Delhi last month. “The picture with Atishi became the reason behind us being removed from the group.”
The removal of journalists from party WhatsApp groups is not new to Delhi’s politics. When the AAP was in power in the national capital, NDTV journalist Ravish Ranjan Shukla was removed from the party’s WhatsApp group after questioning Delhi minister Gopal Rai on the Odd-Even traffic scheme. Shukla’s post was shared by several others, after which 12 journalists were removed from the same group.
In times of misinformation, you need news you can trust. We’ve got you covered. Subscribe to Newslaundry and power our work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
