Raghav Trivedi, a reporter with digital outlet Molitics, was allegedly physically assaulted and “locked up” in a waiting room during Amit Shah’s address at his Rae Bareli rally in Uttar Pradesh. 

Trivedi told Newslaundry, he was called “mullah (Muslim)” and “attanki (terrorist)” by the BJP workers, as they assaulted him over a “clip” about women being paid to attend the rally. 

The journalist said he was first “held by the collar” and then “assaulted” after he asked BJP delegates about women leaving the venue and saying they were “paid Rs 100 to attend it”. As the journalist told the party workers he had “clips” of these women, he was asked to “delete the videos”. 

Speaking to Newslaundry, Trivedi said as he told the workers the clip was with the cameraman who left the venue, two of them began assaulting him and the others joined in as they “dragged” the journalist to the media lobby.    

He said the mob continued to beat him, even with several journalists and “40-50 police personnel” in the vicinity. “I kept requesting people to stop. There were 40-50 police personnel too, but no one came to my rescue as they called me ‘mullah’ and ‘attanki’ and punched me 150-200 times.”

Trivedi was then allegedly taken to the stage and “locked up” in the waiting room. “I felt suffocated and was eventually let out. But after coming out, I fainted and was then brought to the hospital.”

Watch.