The Calcutta High Court on Thursday sought an assurance from the State that no coercive steps would be taken against journalists of Anandabazar Patrika who are facing criminal proceedings for the newspaper's use of the phrase 'saffron hooliganism'. The court made this observation during the hearing of a plea filed by the journalists challenging the FIRs registered against them.
Senior Advocate S N Mookherjee, representing the journalists, submitted that the FIRs were initiated on the allegation of incitement, as if the journalists had demeaned sanyasis across the country. He stated that the matter was not political but concerned the journalists' professional conduct. He further informed the court that his office had been painted saffron by protestors in relation to the controversy.
The Calcutta High Court questioned Mookherjee about his familiarity with the term 'saffron vandalism', to which he responded that he was familiar with the expression and that his father had been part of the saffron brigade. The court also referred to the newspaper's front page during the proceedings.
The Additional Advocate General, Rajdeep Mazumdar, appearing for the State, questioned whether journalists could claim special protection merely because of their profession. Mookherjee clarified that he was not seeking any special privilege and that the journalists were claiming no more than what an ordinary citizen is entitled to under the law.
The court then sought an assurance from the State that no coercive steps would be taken against the journalists until the matter came up for consideration. The Additional Advocate General gave this assurance, subject to the journalists' compliance with the notices served on them. He stated that the journalists must comply with the notices and that there could be no blanket protection.
The Calcutta High Court clarified that the journalists would have to comply with the notices, and that if they did so, no coercive steps would be taken. The court added that if anything happened despite compliance, the matter should be brought to its notice.
The Additional Advocate General reiterated the assurance, emphasizing that it was contingent upon the journalists' cooperation. Mookherjee assured the court that the journalists would comply with the notices before the matter came up for hearing.
The FIRs were registered following objections to the use of the phrase 'Gerua Gundami', which translates to 'saffron hooliganism', in the newspaper's coverage of alleged violence at Jadavpur University. The journalists have approached the High Court seeking relief in connection with the criminal proceedings initiated against them.
The court's direction reflects a balance between ensuring journalistic cooperation with legal processes and safeguarding against premature coercive action while the plea remains pending.