Mandeep Punia On Reporting From Jail

Brut India

“I was hit on my legs. That’s why I wrote my journalistic notes on them…” Freelance journalist Mandeep Punia spent four days in jail, but that had no effect on his resolve… to do journalism.  Thanks to Kings Media Punjabi for the footage.

Transcript

00:00I am reporting from Tihar. These are my reporting notes.

00:30I was stopped from doing my work.

00:35I was not the only one who was stopped.

00:38There are many other reporters like me who report in rural India, who are stopped.

00:43The most difficult task is to report from ground zero.

00:48And the power has made it so challenging in India.

00:52And they keep disturbing it.

00:54I was also disturbed.

00:56Like me, Mr. Kappan Siddiqui should also be freed. He is also a journalist.

01:01And all the reporters like me who are facing state repression in different places should be freed.

01:10And those who are in jail should be freed.

01:13Our job is to report.

01:15I was sent to Tihar.

01:17I have written a report from Tihar as well.

01:20And I will definitely keep it in front of you tomorrow.

01:23I have written all my journalistic notes on my feet with a pen.

01:29The reason for that was that my feet were injured.

01:33So I have written my journalistic notes there.

01:37I got a chance to talk to the farmers who were arrested there.

01:41The government gave me a chance to talk to them.

01:44I took this opportunity to talk to the farmers who were arrested.

01:50The most difficult thing for us is to report from the ground.

01:54We have to take that forward.

01:58No matter what, we will not stop reporting.

02:01And we will continue to respond to the power that is oppressing us.

02:07And we will see what happens.

02:09I would like to thank the court.

02:12I have complete faith in the constitution.

02:16Whatever happens with me will be fine.

02:18I have written my journalistic notes here.

02:24I have written the names of the farmers here.

02:30And I have written their statements.

02:34I have written them so that I can report tomorrow.

02:37These are my reporting notes.

02:48I will definitely write my report tomorrow.

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