The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) slammed the BJP government after Delhi Police sleuths raided several locations, including the residences of the journalists of NewsClick – a digital news organization, for allegedly receiving funds from China, on Tuesday. The opposition alliance said the ruling dispensation’s “coercive” actions are invariably directed against only those media organizations and scribes that speak against it.

The BJP, however, defended the police action.

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“The INDIA parties strongly condemn the BJP government’s fresh attack on the media. We steadfastly stand with the media and for the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and expression,” the opposition bloc said referring to searches carried out by the Delhi Police’s special cell.

Attacking the government, the INDIA bloc in its statement said: “The BJP government’s coercive actions are invariably directed against only those media organizations and journalists that speak truth to power. Ironically, the BJP government is paralysed when it comes to acting against those journalists inciting hatred and divisiveness in the nation.”

The INDIA statement further said: “In the national interest, it would behove the BJP government to focus on genuine issues of concern to the nation and the people and stop attacking the media to distract attention from its failures. In the last nine years, the BJP government has deliberately persecuted and suppressed the media by deploying investigative agencies to suppress the BBC, Newslaundry, Dainik Bhaskar, Bharat Samachar, Kashmir Walla, Wire, etc, and most recently the journalists of NewsClick.

Meanwhile, Union I&B minister Anurag Thakur, while talking to reporters in Odisha, said, “I don’t have detailed information (about the searches conducted by the police). If the investigation agency has taken any action, basically it is being done based on evidence.”

Earlier in the day, leaders from opposition parties took to X and took a swipe at the government over the matter.

Congress leader Sashi Tharoor said: “Shocked to learn of the raids on 30 journalists in Delhi and arrests of several of them. These are not the actions of a ‘mother of democracy’ but of an insecure and autocratic state.”

Echoing a similar sentiment, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MP Sanjay Singh, while taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, posted: “China occupied our land. Modi ji does not have the courage to say even a single word against China. They are pretending to fight China by arresting these journalists. If you have courage, stop all trade with China.”