Akhilesh Yadav slams raids on NewsClick journalists

Lucknow: Samajwadi party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday flayed the raids by the Delhi Police's Special Cell at the residences of NewsClick journalists, terming them as a sign of a "losing BJP".

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed that the raids on honest journalists by BJP rulers was not a new thing.

"The raids are a sign of the losing BJP. This is not a new thing, BJP rulers have always raided honest journalists. But how many crores of rupees are being given to 'Mitra channels' every month in the name of government 'prachar-prasar' (advertisements), anyone should also 'chhape' (print it)," Yadav said in a post on 'X'.

छापे हारती हुई भाजपा की निशानी हैं।

ये कोई नयी बात नहीं है ईमानदार खबरनवीसों पर भाजपाई हुक्मरानों ने हमेशा डाले हैं छापे,
लेकिन सरकारी प्रचार-प्रसार के नाम पर कितने करोड़ हर महीने ‘मित्र चैनलों’ को दिये जा रहे हैं ये भी तो कोई छापे! pic.twitter.com/JNlwmb7uIc

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 3, 2023

Delhi Police’s Special Cell on Tuesday searched 30 locations connected with online news portal NewsClick and its journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.