People's Democracy

DUJ Says No To Press Bashing In Kerala

THE Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) observed a “Stop Press Bashing Day” at the Kerala House in New Delhi on Thursday (November 4) to protest against the continued assaults on journalists in Kerala. In single file, agitated DUJ activists marched towards the chief minister Oommen Chandy’s suite shouting slogans like “We Want Action against the Culprits.”

Later the DUJ leaders met the chief minister along with leaders of the Delhi unit of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and Press Association. The chief minister assured the delegation that strong action would be taken against the guilty. Chandy also indicated that a legislation to prevent bashing of presspersons was on the cards.

DUJ president S K Pande told the chief minister, “We are interested in talks to decide and not just in a decision to talk.” He further expressed concern at reports to cover up the scandal that led to the attacks on presspersons. The chief minister made it clear that action had already been taken against 38 persons who have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody by the court.

A joint memorandum signed by the DUJ president S K Pande, DUJ general secretary Javed Faridi and Press Association president Vinay Kumar was submitted to the chief minister. The memorandum stated, “We are seriously concerned at the attacks on journalists in Kerala. We call for an end to press bashing. These attacks in our opinion constitute an assault on freedom of the press.”   

The spontaneous solidarity meeting resolved that it was high time bashing of scribes on duty was put an end to. The meeting noted that the press was under attack in Kerala for three days, and all this was aimed at targeting the presspersons in Kerala for their exposure of  “the ice cream parlour sex scandal” and the alleged attempts at cover-up of the VIPs involved..

Apart from S K Pande, Javed Faridi and Vinay Kumar, the delegation comprised P Sreekumaran, Rajesh Rehman, Rajesh Ramchandran, Sandip Dikshit, Gargi Parsai and Dinesh Chandra. 

It may be recalled that, according to press reports, the journalists in Kerala were attacked for more than three days by workers allegedly attached to the Muslim League. For some time, it is said, more reports were coming to light of a sexual harassment incident allegedly involving the minister P Kunhalikutty. 

The DUJ president S K Pande said, “We hope that the culprits are brought to book. We hope it is talks to decide and act, not just a decision to merely talk and delay justice.” Furthermore, the DUJ was of the opinion that there should be a risk insurance cover for the journalist fraternity in view of the increasing attacks in the past six years. (INN)