Bhubaneswar: A large number of journalists cutting across media houses on Thursday gathered near Soochana Bhavan here to protest collectively against Kendrapara MP Anubhav Mohanty for allegedly misbehaving with a journalist on duty on Tuesday.
A delegation of journalists later marched in a procession and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to the Principal Secretary, Home Sanjeev Chopra.
The memorandum, among other things, demanded a public apology by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP within 24 hours and the passing of a Bill guaranteeing safety and security of journalists on duty in the coming session of the Odisha Assembly, failing which the journalists have threatened to intensify their protest.
Already, reports were coming in from all over the State about protests by local journalists against the Lok Sabha member’s unprovoked behaviour.
Mohanty was accused of misbehaving with journalist Manoj Swain, working with a private TV channel, at the Kendrapara Collector’s office when the latter was attending the briefing of the MP along with other mediapersons on Tuesday, a video of which has gone viral on social media.
Meanwhile, Swain lodged an FIR against the MP in Kendrapara Town police station seeking justice.
The actor-turned-politician has been frequently in news for the wrong reasons. He had recently courted controversy following a public spat with his neighbour and party colleague in Cuttack. Earlier in June, a woman journalist had also accused the MP of misbehaving with her and lodged a police complaint at Purighat police station.
