DUJ CONDEMNS OMINOUS MOVES ON JOURNOS RIGHTS AND ATTACKS

The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) condemns government and managements sponsored attempts to end statutory wage boards, just when another is overdue and castigated attempts to kill the Working Journalists Act, instead of extending to the TV and Broadcast Media. It is further appalled to read about the deliberate attack by the police on journalists in Ranchi on Nov 15, 2018 while they were covering a rally of para-teachers demanding regularisation and decent wages.

It has noted that in protest journalists met at the Ranchi Press Club to condemn the attack and demand action against the police. Those who were attacked include cameraperson Baijnath Mehto, photographers Pintu Dube, Vinay Murmu and Mukesh Bhatt as well as reporters Rajesh Tiwari and Kamlesh. The police damaged cameras and deleted all photographs of the protest by the teachers. The DUJ supports the Ranchi Press Club officebearers’ demand that the government provide medical treatment for the injured, give compensation for damaged equipment and punish the guilty police who brutally lathicharged both journalists and teachers on the occasion of Jharkhand Day.

The DUJ has charged that there are in controvertible facts to suggest that for the first time since the inception of the Wage Boards for journalists and press workers, the government of India has tried a filibuster to kill the overdue wage board, by using the cover of a code on wages bill already rejected by various trade unions. It has called upon members of Parliament cutting across political parties to rise in unison in the coming session to end the jungle law in the newspaper industry coupled with the rise in attacks on journos even on duty by vested interests.