Priyanka alleges witchhunt by UP Govt

Lucknow, June 19 (IANS) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday targeted the Uttar Pradesh government over an FIR against a journalist in Varanasi, alleging the state government has registered FIRs against journalists, former officials and the Opposition for bringing the truth to light.

Priyanka Gandhi posted the link to a website through Twitter on Friday, saying, "The UP government cannot suppress the truth by filing an FIR. There has been chaos on the ground during the corona pandemic. By revealing the true situation on the ground things could be improved but the UP government has chosen to file FIRs against journalists, former officers and the Opposition."

A woman from Domari village in Varanasi has lodged an FIR against a journalist and editor of a news portal for allegedly misrepresenting the woman's statement as well as mocking her for her caste and financial status.

Kotwali regional officer Pradeep Singh Chandel said, "A woman from Domari village had filed a complaint with the Ram Nagar police last week, on the basis of which an FIR has been lodged against the editor-in-chief and reporter of a news portal."

The complaint, he added, has been registered under sections 269 (defamation), 501 (printing defamatory information) of the IPC and various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act. The case, he said, has now been handed over to him for investigation.