DUJ flays Vijay Jolly's "vigilantism" at Shoma Chaudhary's house

NEW DELHI: Delhi Union of Journalists today condemned "vigilantism" by Delhi BJP leader Vijay Jolly and his supporters at the residence here of former Tehelka Managing Editor of Tehelka Shoma Choudhary and termed it an act of "hooliganism and lumpenism".

DUJ and its Gender and Ethics Council strongly condemned his act of painting the word "accused" on Choudhary's nameplate, and said while he was enraged at the way she failed to protect the dignity of a woman he "completely lost the sight of the fact that "he was outraging the dignity of another woman."

Terming Jolly and his supporters as "self-appointed custodians of morality", DUJ said in a statement that "the fact is that Shoma Choudhary is not an accused in the case of alleged sexual assault by Tehelka owner Tarun Tejpal on a young journalist."

Had it not been for the intervention of the Delhi Police, Choudhary would have been attacked by the mob led by Vijay Jolly, it said, adding his subsequent "apology" for "hurting sentiments" had to be taken with a pinch of salt.

It expressed the hope that the statement by senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj condemning the "vigilantism" of Jolly would be the template for the future.

"The DUJ wishes to underline that this was not a matter of hurt sentiments but that of rowdyism, hooliganism and lumpenism. After the protest at Tehelka office, the needless attack on Choudhary's residence was a cheap publicity stunt," DUJ said.