Journalist Divya Srivastava says she was heckled by BJP supporters and targeted online after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath left a Lucknow press meet without taking questions

A woman journalist in Lucknow has alleged that she received online abuse and threats after questioning Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an incident that comes barely days after two women journalists alleged assault and detention by Delhi Police in the national capital.

The incident in Lucknow took place on Saturday (September 11), at a press conference at the BJP state office, according to multiple reports.

Independent journalist Divya Srivastava said Chief Minister Adityanath addressed the media and left without taking questions. In a video that has since gone viral, she is heard saying from the back of the hall, “Mukhyamantri ji sawal ka jawab dijiye? Press vartha hai yeh. Press ka jawab nahi de pa rahein hain aap, bataye! Press conference ke liye bulaya kis liye tha? Aapki awaaz uthane ke liye, aapki apni baat sunne ke liye.(Chief Minister sir, please answer. This is a press conference. You are unable to answer the press! Were we called to the press conference to just listen to you? To raise your voice and to make your own point heard)?”

Divya Srivastava told media persons that as she was leaving, a group of self-proclaimed BJP supporters surrounded her, questioned which channel she represented and shouted at her. She said a campaign was subsequently launched online portraying her as being planted by the Opposition Samajwadi Party or Congress.

Dismissing the claims, she said she is an independent journalist and that attempts were being made to create a distorted narrative around her questions.

Opposition leaders have alleged that Divya Srivastava was later questioned by the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) and threatened by BJP workers with bulldozer action. These claims are based on the journalist’s statements and unverified social media posts and have not been independently confirmed by police.