NEW DELHI, Mar 18:
A Congress MP in Rajya Sabha on wednesday made a demand for enacting a legislation for protection of journalists, claiming India has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist.
M V Rajeev Gowda (Cong) raised the issue through a Zero Hour mention in the Upper House. “There is an urgent need to enact a national legislation for protection of journalists. In the past several years India has become on of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist,” he said.
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu pointed out that he should not make sweeping remarks and cautioned him.
“Let us not make such a sweeping remark. You (Gowda) are a well read person…Some report, some international…Member saying it from Parliament that will be quoted outside also. I am only cautioning…,” he said.
Gowda said last year, India ranked 13th in the global impunity index by the community to protect journalists which features countries with the worst record of punishing killers of journalists.
The organisation Reporters without Borders has listed India at 140 out of 180 countries on its World Press Freedom Index, he said.
The Congress MP said a sub-committee of the Press Council of India prepared a detailed report on attacks faced by working journalists in 2015.
“It found 80 journalists have been killed in India since 1990 and most of the cases are still pending in courts,” he said.
The report, Gowda said, demanded that a separate law be enacted for safety of journalists across India along with other recommendations.
This report was submitted to the then I&B Minister Arun Jaitley.
He said this report could be the basis for drafting the law.
“We have also heard of tragic cases of murder of journalists. Along with that threats, intimidation and violence against journalists are also a major problem. How long we will let this happen,” he asked.
In the absence of legal protection and mechanism to create safe mechanism for journalists and media persons, the public domain and discourse suffers the most, he noted.
“Therefore, I urge the government to enact a legislation for protection of journalists and media, and ensure freedom of press stays alive,” he said. (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel