DUJ demands a credible central law for the safety n security of journalists.

The Delhi Union of Journalists, a strong organisation of working journalists in Delhi organised a meeting at its Shanker Road office, Cannaught Place on 3rd of May to commemorate the World Press Freedom day , unanimously demanding from the union government to immediately introduce an Act for the protection of journalists who’d been sacrificing their lives while on duty under extreme challenging situations while covering elections, wars, riotous situations, covering crime sequences ( stories) , writing facts against mafias n even politicians n meeting a sad and tragic end.

The president of Delhi Union of Journalists S. K. Pandey n other office bearers and those presented in the meeting unanimously resolved to demand that the government of the day take immediate action in introducing a credible act in the parliament to bring a law for the protection, safety and security of the journalists whose life is incessantly at stake, while performing their professional duties. Not only this but the deceased journalists’ family members should also be adequately compensated financially and a government job given to the next of the kin.

It may be recalled that right from the diabolical lynching of a progressive n fearless journalists like Gauri Lankesh n several literateurs n authors to number of other journalists working in the remotest corners of the country, there is an environment of fear psychosis and terror amongst the journalistic fraternity of the country from the fundamentalist, divisive n reactionery forces as good number of journalists have fallen easy prey to such criminals backed by certain interested organisations believing in getting rid of such outspoken journalists, prolific progressive writers n whistle blowers.

In the eighties the liquor mafia of Garhwal Uttarakhand had mercilessly killed an Amar Ujala journalist Umesh Dobhal at Pauri Garhwal whose body has not yet been traced. It is learnt that he was so diabolically murdered that his body was allegedly cut into pieces to dispose off in a river with the intent that the evidence would be washed n non available.

Just a year ago a Doordardarshan journalist Achyutananda Sahu was killed in Chattisgarh on 30th October, 2018. Achyutananda was killed in an ambush laid by the Maoists when they were busy covering the election.

Three policemen were also slained in this heinous attack. A per the New 18 dispatch about 47 journalists have so far been slained in India alone since 1992 and over 60 whisle blowers n the negligible number of culprits have been caught as the police action in resolving such cases is extremely apathetic n untrustworthy.

According to the International Journalists Federation and Al Jajeerah statistics about 75 journalists have died in just few years in various countries of the world while covering wars, riotous situations and insurgency.

There have been no fool proof or concrete system or law for the safeguards and future guarantee for the survival of the families of the deceased journalists as well as concrete n credible ways n means to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Afghanistan has the largest number of journalists killed while covering war or insurgency 16 numbers, followed by Mexico 11, Yemen 9, Syria 8, India 7, Pakistan 5, Somalia 5, USA 5, Phillipines 3, Equador 3, Brazil 3, Columbia, Pelestine n Guetmala 2 each. These are all the casualties in foreign lands while on assignments to cover war, insurgencies, riotous situation etc.

Uttarakhand Journalists Forum too expresses its solidarity with DUJ’s demand and urges upon the government to fulfill this demand in the larger interest of the fourth estate of the country.