Demands for enactment of Journalists Protection Act, constitution of Media Council and Media Commission

Resentment against killing of journalists across the country

New Delhi (November 2, 2015): Demanding immediate enactment of Journalists Protection Act mediapersons from all over the country under the banner of National Union of Journalists India (NUJ-I) will stage a massive demonstration outside Parliament in New Delhi on December 7. The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of senior NUJ(I) leaders today. The first poster for the proposed demonstration was also released on the occasion.

Expressing solidarity with the ‘UN Day & Impunity Against Journalists’ declared by the International Federation of Journalists, the meeting decided to raise a voice all over the country from November 2 to 23, 2015. All state units of NUJ(I) will present memorandums to the authorities concerned at District Level raising a voice against killing, exploitation and retrenchment of journalist. In this series a memorandum was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Prominent NUJ(I) leaders who attended the meeting included President Ras Bihari, Secretary General Ratan Dixit, Treasurer Dadhibal Yadav, Secretary of Press Association Manoj Verma, DJA general secretary Anand Rana, Executive Committee Member Manoj Mishra, Pramod Majumdar, Manohar Singh, senior journalists Rakesh Arya, Ashok Kinker, Sanjeev Sinha, Pawan Bhargava, etc.

Mr Ras Bihari said Journalists Protection Act should be enacted immediately as the attacks on journalists are growing all over the country and they feel extremely unsafe. He said the demands for constitution of Media Council and Media Commission would also be raised strongly during the Protest March towards the Parliament.

Secretary General Ratan Dixit informed that about 2000 journalists from all over the country will join the demonstration. Elaborating on the participation of NUJ(I) with the IFJ’s ‘UN Day & Impunity Against Journalists’ he said all state units of the NUJ(I) will present memorandums to Chief Ministers and Governors seeking protection to journalists. The memorandums will also be presented at the district level. DJA general secretary Anand Rana presented a report on the nationwide social media campaign being conducted on Protest March to Parliament and ‘UN Day & Impunity Against Journalists’. The meeting also decided to meet the leaders of various political parties, MPs, Social and Labour Organisations to apprise them of the problems being faced by the journalists.

Anand Rana

General Secretary, DJA/ Media Coordinator, NUJ(I)

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