March 9, 2020
The Delhi Union of Journalists, at its Executive Committee meeting held on March 7, 2020, mourned the deaths of many innocent people in the recent riots in Delhi. We are shocked at the failure of the Delhi Police to pre-empt the riots and prevent the spread of violence in many instances, as is evident in multiple videos and reports by journalists. We also deeply shocked at the role of the central and state governments in this critical time.
We salute all the brave media women and men who reported the riots at great personal risk. We commend their courage and deeply regret the Union government’s move to muzzle the media by imposing (and then rescinding) a temporary ban on two Malayalam TV channels, Asianet and Media One. The riots affected many journalists, including those working night shifts and returning to homes in unsafe areas.
We regret the slow pace of relief by the government and demand that compensation for burnt homes and businesses be provided immediately. We demand that a government job be given to one family member where a person has been killed. We also demand that the government ensure safe access to relief volunteers and medical workers going into the affected areas.
We demand that FIRs be registered immediately in all cases of murder, attacks and arson. We regret the selective use of FIRs to target some riot victims. We welcome the brave judgement of Justice Muralidharan who ordered the immediate lodging of FIRs against politicians whose hate speeches sparked off the riots. We condemn hate speeches from all quarters.
We applaud all those who shielded and sheltered fellow citizens from other communities during the riots. They give us hope. We appeal to all media to foster amity between communities through positive news and objective reportage. We condemn a section of the media that has played a negative and biased role. We appeal to all governments across the country to work proactively to prevent communal flare ups and ensure peace and harmony.
Press Release
