New Delhi December 7, 2015:- Growing attacks on mediapersons all over the country during the last one decade and pressing upon the demand to enact a Journalist Protection Act, the mediapersons from all over the country today stage a massive dharna and demonstration at Jantar Mantar. Apart from demanding the enactment of Journalist Protection Act, the NUJ (I) also demands resolution of various problems being faced by journalists in print and electronic media. The NUJ(I) has submitted a memorandum of its demands to the PM.
A large number of journalists from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Assam. West Bengal, Tripura, and many other states joined the protest.
NUJ(I) President Ras Bihari said that state units have already submitted memorandums to Chief Ministers, Governors and Prime Minister through the authorities concerned in 22 states capitals and also at over 100 district headquarters. The memorandums demanded enactment of a Journalist Protection Act, creation of Media Council and constitution of Media Commission and immediate curb on the retrenchment of journalists in media houses. Shri Ras Bihari and Ratan Dixit pointed out that over 200 incidents of attacks on journalists have been reported from different states during the last several years. At least one journalist is reported to be killed in Assam for the last 14 years. Referring to the recent attacks on journalists in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and some other states, the statement said the perpetuators of the crime are still away from the bars.
Delhi Journalists Association (DJA) president Anil Pandey and general secretary Anand Rana said that a high level delegation of the NUJ(I) submited a memorandum to the Prime Minister today after the Dharna . They said protection of journalists is must for smooth functioning of democracy.
Apart from the various organisations many renowned journalists participated in the demonstration including expresident Dr N K Trikha, Rajendra Prabhu, Suresh Sharma, Lalit Sharma, Ashok Malik, B D Sharma, Sheetak Kadekar, Prasanna Mohanty, Seema Kiran, Dadhibal Yadav, K G Suresh, Kumar Rakesh, Shankar Prasad Mishra, Uday Joshi, Manoj Verma, Pramod Saini, Manoj Mishra, Neeraj Gupta, Sanjay Rathi, Amarnath Vashishth, Pawan Kumar (BMS), Ashwini Rana, PCI President Rahul Jalali, General Secretary PCI Nadim Ahmed Kazmi, Arvind Kumar Singh, Narendra Bhandari and Anjali Bhatia of Indraprastha Press Club.
Office Secretary