'Gundaraj': Politicians, scribes slam Uttar Pradesh govt over journalist Vikram Joshi's death in Ghaziabad

Journalists and politicians across party lines criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of Ghaziabad journalist Vikram Joshi, who was shot in the head by assailants on Monday and succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday. Doctors treating Joshi said Wedensday that “the veins in the journalists’ head had got badly damaged due to the bullet injury”. Joshi was returning home in Vijay Nagar area with his two daughters on a motorcycle when he was waylaid by over half a dozen armed men at around 10.30 pm on Monday, officials told PTI. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Yogi Adityanath government over the law-and-order situation in the state. “Ghaziabad falls in NCR. Going by the state of law and order here, one can get an idea of the situation in the entire state of Uttar Pradesh. A journalist was shot at because he complained to the police against molestation of his niece. How will common man feel safe in such a jungle raj?” Priyanka said in a tweet in Hindi. On Wednesday, Rahul criticised the “gundaraj” in the state in a tweet in Hindi, which tanslates to: “Journalist Vikram Joshi killed for opposing molestantion of his niece. My condolences to the bereaved family. The promise was of Ram Rajya, but gave gundaraj”.

अपनी भांजी के साथ छेड़छाड़ का विरोध करने पर पत्रकार विक्रम जोशी की हत्या कर दी गयी। शोकग्रस्त परिवार को मेरी सांत्वना।

वादा था राम राज का, दे दिया गुंडाराज।

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 22, 2020

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee too condoled the death of the journalist and said, “An atmosphere of fear has been created in the country.”

My heartfelt condolences to the family of Vikram Joshi, a fearless journalist who passed away today. He was shot in UP for filing an FIR to book his niece’s molesters. An atmosphere of fear has has been created in the country. Voices being muzzled. Media not spared. Shocking.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) July 22, 2020

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Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that it was a matter of concern that “such crimes are committed” when survivors of harassment protest or complain. Raut said, “It is an issue of law and order. A journalist is killed in a state where the state government killed a criminal like Vikas Dubey. This is unfortunate. Am sure the state police will look into it. As a journalist, I am also shocked. If journalists protest anything wrong and get killed, where will they go?” Raut asked. Raut also expressed agreement with Rahul’s remarks, ANI reported. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that such incidents “raise questions about the law and order” in Uttar Pradesh.

अपनी भांजी के साथ हुई छेड़छाड़ के खिलाफ आवाज़ उठाने पर पत्रकार विक्रम जोशी की हत्या हमारी कानून व्यवस्था पर बहुत सारे सवाल खड़ा करती है।

विक्रम जोशी के हत्यारों को कड़ी से कड़ी सजा मिलनी चाहिए।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 22, 2020

Journalists too highlighted the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh on social media, saying criminals were acting in the state “with impunity”.

Will first molest a girl with impunity , and then kill with impunity, with no fear whatsoever of the law. And this is not in the remote “badlands” but in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of the national capital. #VikramJoshi pic.twitter.com/RzmIWe7Qkb

— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) July 22, 2020

UP journalist Vikram Joshi who was shot at in Ghaziabad after he complained against those who were harassing his niece has passed away this morning. RIP The rampant use of guns in UP remains a major concern: ‘wild west’ UP!

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) July 22, 2020

With inputs from agencies