India Today journalists barred from Assam Assembly, one assaulted by staffer

A controversy has erupted over media access to the ongoing Assam Assembly session after reporters from the India Today Group’s Guwahati bureau were denied entry despite carrying valid passes issued for the session.

Journalists assigned to coordinate media access allegedly stopped reporters from Aaj Tak and India Today from entering the Assembly premises and asked them to leave.

India Today reporter Hrijoy Das Kanungo, who protested against what he described as the unauthorised denial of entry, was physically assaulted by Moon Goswami, a member of the Assembly press committee. When Kanungo recorded the incident, his phone was seized and the video was deleted. Others present allegedly abused him and threatened him with further violence. The assault was led by Bhaben Dutta, the head of press committee. The incident happened when Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was speaking at the assembly. 

The reporters said they were told that their passes were “illegal”, although the Assembly authorities have not officially explained why they were denied access.

India Today Group journalists have faced similar restrictions on Assembly coverage on several occasions since Ranjeet Kumar Dass took over as Speaker earlier this year.

Assam Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika could not be contacted immediately as he was inside the Assembly.

This is a developing story. More details are awaited.