NEW DELHI, Sept 22 - Protesting the killing of Santanu Bhowmick, a group of journalists today urged the Union Home Ministry to publish a status report on killing of journalists.
A protest meeting called by the Press Club of India, North East Media Forum (NEMF), Indian Women Press Corp (IWPC), Press Association and Federation of Press Clubs, have also decided to stage a protest march on October 2 in defence of the rights of journalists.
The protest meeting was held to condole the killing of Bhowmick, who was killed on Wednesday in Tripura was addressed by senior journalists belonging to both electronic and print media included Rajdeep Sardesai, Nalini Singh, Amit Barua, Gautam Lahiri, Vinay Kumar, Sanjoy Hazarika, Nadeem Kazmi and Partha Bora among others.
�The meeting resolved that the attacks on journalists is a worrying trend and unacceptable in a democracy like ours. We demand that concerned State Governments should take stern action under Indian laws against those involved in intimidating and killing of journalists.
As majority of journalists are without any social security benefits like pensions or health insurance, and many of whom are sole bread earners in their families, the meeting demanded that the State Governments should establish journalists� welfare funds to meet the conditions of precarious employment, social and health security of journalists.
�In view of the growing attacks on journalists and attempts to polarise journalists, we urge the journalists� community to be vigilant against divisive forces and remain united in the interests of strengthening Indian democracy and the freedom of the Press,� the resolution said.
Meanwhile, the killing of 28-year-old journalist Shantanu Bhowmick in the course of his work in Mandai, Tripura, is another sickening assault on freedom of expression, Amnesty International India said today.
