New Delhi, February 11: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) expresses grave concern at the Enforcement Directorate raids on the digital news portal NewsClick. The IJU condemns the Government’s continued onslaught on media to silence it their critical news coverage on government's policies.

In a statement issued, Geetartha Pathak, President of IJU and former member of Press Council of India and Secretary General of IJU and Vice President of International Federation of Journalists, (IFJ) said that journalists were arrested wantonly across the country and the climax of such arbitrary action could be seen on Republic Day when at least five journalists were arrested, most of whom were on sedition charges when they were covering farmers’ rally near Delhi.

The news portal NewsClick has been covering the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the farm laws. The raid by Central government controlled ED on a news portal and the allegation of Rs.30 crore money laundering is vindictive action and not acceptable, the IJU leaders commented. The Union demanded that the government stop harassing and intimidating critical media and desist from misusing its agencies for vested interests.