By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi : The attack on NDTV office in Ahmedabad has earned widespread criticism from the various quarters.
About 20 goons allegedly owing their allegiance to a little known Hindutva organisation, Hindu Samarajya Sena ransacked NDTV’s office in Ahmedabad for airing an SMS poll asking viewers "whether noted
painter M F Hussain can be a recipient of Bharat Ratna?"
They barged into the NDTV’s office, broke furniture,
destroyed studio equipment and smashed the air conditioners. Two staff members were beaten up with hockey sticks.
According to NDTV journalists, the group said the channel was "anti-national" and it should apologise for including Husain’s name as a nominee in the SMS poll for the country’s top civilian honour.
The Congress party termed the attack as "serious" and "unfortunate".
Equating the act to "fascism," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said: "If you cannot air your views with freedom, then it is a very sorry phase you have come to."
"This is what intolerance is all about," he
added.
Singhvi said such acts "must be crushed in the threshold."
Condemning the attack, Act Now for Harmony And Democracy (ANHAD) called for an immediate ban on the outfit.
"‘The attack is yet another example of the climate of violence, intolerance and fear stalking Gujarat. There is no space for dissent in this state and any one disagreeing with the Sangh parivar bears the brunt," the organisation said.
"Parallels were also drawn with another attack on a senior journalist of the national daily Statesman in Ahmedabad a week ago," it added.
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj, Director of a voluntary organisation, Prashant, in a statement, said, "The attack by a group of right-wing Hindu extremists, needs to be strongly condemned in no uncertain terms.
"The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech and expression to all its citizens. No one therefore has the right to take law and order into their own hands."
He called upon the authorities in Gujarat to book those
responsible for this attack immediately and ensure that "these fascist and terrorist forces are contained."