The Editor's Guild of India has expressed shock at and condemned the arrest of Arnab Goswami from his residence by Alibaugh police on Wednesday. In the official statement released by the organisation, they have asked the Chief Minister of Maharashtra "to ensure that Goswami is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by the media."
Earlier the Guild had taken the same stand in the overall conflict between the Mumbai Police and Republic TV, calling it an "unedifying spectacle" that was "unprecedented and threatens the tenuous but important to maintain a balance between media freedom and the imperative for it to reside within the rule of law."
The statement was issued in light of an earlier FIR filed by the Mumbai Police against the editorial team of Republic TV for stirring disaffection among the police.
The Guild's stand has been echoed by senior members of the ruling BJP party with Amit Shah calling Goswami's arrest as an "attack on individual freedom and the fourth pillar of democracy" while Prakash Javadekar termed it as reminiscent of Emergency days.
Several other BJP leaders have alleged a Congress hand in what they call a clear plot against Goswami.