The Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ) on Thursday condemned the inclusion of Marathi news channel “ABP Majha’s journalist” in an FIR filed by College of Engineering Pune (COEP) against workers of National Students Union of India (NSUI) and the Congress following a ruckus at its premises before Rahul Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj event in Pune last week.Describing it as an attack on freedom of press, a PUWJ delegation led by its president Umesh Shelke held a meeting with Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar and demanded the removal of the journalist’s name from the FIR.Dr Raju Pachkor, who is chief administrative officer (hostel department) of COEP Technical University, had lodged the FIR at the Shivajinagar police station on August 23. Without naming any reporter, Pachkor alleged in the FIR that an ‘ABP Majha journalist’ entered the COEP hostel premises without permission.Three FIRs were registered at Shivajinagar police station after the clash between ABVP and NSUI/Congress workers on the COEP campus on the night of August 21, a day before Rahul Gandhi’s Pune event. The dispute had erupted after a video of a girl student of COEP had surfaced. In her first video on August 21, the girl said, “When NSUI and Congress activists visited… I told the ABP Majha news channel that the college was charging excess fees from students… But we were actually manipulated and pressure was created due to which I said it… This was wrong. So I apologise to the college.”It led to a clash between ABVP and NSUI on the night of August 21. In a second video on August 22, the girl said she should be involved in any political drama.First FIRThe first FIR was lodged by an ABVP member against NSUI and Congress workers on August 22. It alleged that a girl student of COEP was pressured to give a video statement to a news channel. The FIR said when ABVP members went to the COEP hostel to discuss the issue, about 60 NSUI and Congress workers beat them up.Second FIROn August 22, a Youth Congress leader lodged an FIR against 25 unidentified ABVP members alleging that girl student who posted content supporting Rahul Gandhi on social media was locked up in COEP hostel.Story continues below this ad“So NSUI workers went to COEP to meet the principal. Police had also reached the spot. We demanded the police to allow our meeting with the principal and take legal action against those who locked the girl student,” the FIR said.About 25 ABVP activists gathered and shouted slogans and they allegedly attacked the Congress workers, leaving the complainant injured, the FIR stated.Third FIRThe third FIR was lodged by COEP on Sunday, against 150 NSUI and Congress workers on charges of unlawful assembly, trespassing and defamation.The FIR alleged that NSUI workers compelled a COEP girl student who got admission under the orphan category with nominal fees, to lie on video that she was charged more fees meant for general category students. The FIR alleged that NSUI workers circulated the said video on social media platforms, defaming COEP technical university.Story continues below this ad“Later, the girl student realised she gave a wrong statement, so she along with a few other students contacted the Vice Chancellor (VC). Around 7 pm on August 21, some students who got admission under the orphan category came to Pachkor’s office saying they had a meeting with the VC and all their demands were fulfilled. But around 7.45 pm, about 150 NSUI and Congress workers allegedly entered COEP hostel premises without permission and shouted slogans, manhandled the security guard and students,” the FIR stated.The FIR lastly mentioned that the complaint was also against “ABP Majha journalist” for allegedly entering the hostel premises without permission.PUWJ meet police chiefIn a letter to the Pune police commissioner, the PUWJ stated the ABP Majha journalist was not present on the COEP premises at the time of the incident that took place on August 21. PUWJ condemned the police for mentioning the journalist in the offence lodged by COEP.PUWJ stated that COEP is a government college. “Journalists often visit government establishments for reporting. If any incident takes place, it is wrong on the part of police to involve names of journalists or their organisations while registering offence. This is an attack on freedom of press…”Story continues below this adIn response, the police commissioner said they will investigate the complaints and then take appropriate action.‘Entered COEP… nobody stopped us’Journalist Mandar Gonjari of ABP Majha told The Indian Express that he had gone to COEP on August 20 along with two journalists from two channels to get reactions from students as to whether they would be attending Rahul Gandhi’s event.“I entered the COEP premises. Nobody stopped us. The security asked me to park our vehicle in available space. Then we went near the COEP canteen and found some 6-7 students there.”Gonjari said, “I asked one of the girls whether she would be going for Rahul Gandhi’s event. She told me she would be going because she was not getting the scholarship meant for orphan girls for the last three years.”Story continues below this adGonjari said he asked the girl student if her issue would be resolved once she attended the event. “She says yes, it will help resolve the issue and therefore she would be attending the event,” he said. He said the students also denied they were associated with any student’s body or any political party.Gonjari said it wasn’t just her, but at least five students spoke on the same lines on the video them being denied the scholarship. “Besides, one of the students spoke about leaking roof of the hostel,” he said.The journalist said ABP Majha uploaded his video the same day on August 20. “The next day, Congress media cell uploaded my video alongside the video of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis where he is making allegation that students being brought for the event are from colleges run by Congress leaders.”With inputs from Manoj More