Santanu Bhowmik killing: Nationwide protest on Oct 2 by journalists

Delhi Bureau

New Delhi, September 22: Journalists working in various media houses of Delhi today joined hands in a condolence meeting held in Press Club of India. The condolence was jointly organized by Press Club of India, North East Media Forum, Indian Woman Press Corp, Federation of Press Club of India and Press Association.

While condemning the death of Santanu Bhowmik, the journalists gathered there also took a resolution. The journalist organizations demanded the concerned state governments to take exemplary and time bound action under Indian law against those intimidating and killing journalists.

The journalists organizations also demanded a framework to ensure social security of the journalists.

The meeting has also resolved to organize peaceful protest on October 2 in defence of rights of journalist.

Senior journalists including Rajdeep Sardesai, Seema Chisti, Amit Baruah, Sanjoy Hazarika, Sangeeta Barooah, Kalyan Barooah, Nalini Singh among others were present on the occasion.

Resolution adopted at the journalist protest meeting on September 22, 2017

In view of the unceasing attacks on journalists in the form of murderous assaults, threats of physical harm, threats of violence in the social media, rampant misogyny, and retrenchment the meeting resolves the following:

1.  The attacks on journalists is a worrying trend and unacceptable in a democracy like ours. We demand that concerned state governments take exemplary and time bound action under Indian laws against those involved in intimidating and killing journalists.
2.  As the majority of journalists are without any social security benefits like pension or health insurance, and many of whom are sole bread earners in their families, we demand that state governments establish journalist welfare funds to meet the conditions of precarious employment, social and health security of journalists.
3.  In view of increasing misogyny and abuse in the social media bordering on abuse, we demand that concerned governments identify and take swift action against those posting threatening messages.
4.  In view of growing attacks on journalists and attempts to polarise journalists, we urge the journalist community to be vigilant against divisive forces and remain united in the interests of strengthening Indian democracy and the freedom of the press.
5.  The meeting resolves to organise a peaceful dharna on October 2 in defence of the rights of journalists.

Press Club of India, Indian Women‘s Press Corps, Press Association, Federation of Press Clubs of India, President, North-East Media Forum.