India, July 30 -- Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai has asked the National Human Rights Commission to launch an independent inquiry into what he called a rising trend of criminal cases and police action against journalists, digital media professionals and independent reporters in the state, according to a party statement issued Thursday, July 30.

Rai urged the NHRC to examine whether the use of criminal laws against journalists was harming freedom of expression and press freedom, the UP Congress said.

In a letter to the NHRC chairperson, Rai said freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and an independent media are cornerstones of a democratic system. "If journalists are unable to report on issues of public inter...