People's Democracy

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) has condemned the Vajpayee government’s steps to intimidate journalists and stifle freedom of the press. It took a serious note of the continuous attacks on Tehelka, the third degree treatment meted out to Kashmiri journalist Gilani, ‘raids on Surya TV in Kerala and the surrender of national sovereignty by allowing foreign direct investment in the print media.

An emergency meeting of the DUJ executive committee held on July 1 resolved to start a phased agitation starting with a rally on July 6. The meeting chaired by the DUJ president S K Pande called for a united movement of journalists to fight the onslaughts on press freedom and allowing of foreign direct investment in media.

In a statement issued on July 2, the DUJ noted the sharp increase in the number of newspaper establishments being targeted by the government and called upon journalists to rise in unison to fight the onslaughts, reminiscent of the dark days of emergency and press censorship.

The DUJ called upon artists, writers, jurists, and journalists to join the battle to save press freedom. Meanwhile the DUJ has approached the press council in the Gilani case and further met the information minister Sushma Swaraj.