Mistreatment of Indian journalist in Texas may have violated First Amendment rights: NPC

Washington: The alleged mistreatment of an Indian journalist in Dallas by workers of the Indian Overseas Congress might have violated his rights under the First Amendment that protects freedom of the press in the US, the National Press Club (NPC) here has said.

Television journalist Rohit Sharma, who is based out of Washington DC, last week was pushed by a group when he was on an assignment for India Today group in Dallas, Texas, to cover the maiden US visit of Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition.

He was interviewing Gandhi's close aide Sam Pitroda when the incident happened. Sharma claimed he was abruptly told to end the interview.

Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, released a statement on Monday on the reported incident that it said may have violated the First Amendment rights of reporter Sharma, a member of the National Press Club.

Wilkins said the interview was done professionally with the two agreeing to recording.

"Security staff must be aware that reporters working in the US are protected by the First Amendment, regardless of the nationality of the interview subject, reporter or security teams. This was an on-the-record interview with ground rules set between Sharma and Pitroda," Wilkins said.

"Several members of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) were listening to the interview as well as several members of Gandhi's advance staff. On the last question, members of the audience objected to the subject of the question and stopped the interview by shouting at Sharma and pushing him while taking his phone away. The group, which included Gandhi's staff, deleted files from Sharma's phone and kept it from him,” the NPC president said.

Pitroda later apologised to the reporter, the statement said.

With more than 2,500 members representing nearly every major news organisation, the NPC is a leading voice for press freedom in the US and worldwide.