Journalists across the country held simultaneous peaceful protests on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti against the spate of killings, threats and violence directed at journalists. The protests were held by the Press Club of India, Federation of Press Clubs in India, Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Association, Kerala Union of Working Journalists and Indian Journalists Union across the country on Monday.
Won’t be tolerated
Expressing concern at the growing incidents of attacks, on sections belonging to the media fraternity, they sent out a message saying “violence against journalists in any form will not be tolerated in the land that preaches non violence”.
The peaceful protests drew attention to the increasingly unsafe environment for journalists, the misogynistic and abusive targeting of mediapersons for their views on online forums, covert and overt threats to physically harm journalists for holding different opinions and increasing intolerance against criticism.
A memorandum appending the signatures of hundreds of journalists would be submitted to the Union Home Minister requesting his intervention for a status report on attacks against journalists in various States and action taken in that regard.