‘Save Journalism’ Day observed across country on the call of Indian Journalists Union
Indian Journalists Union observed a demonstration on the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. On this occasion , Under the leadership of (IJU), various journalists organizations staged protests across the country. In Chandigarh, on the invitation of IJU, Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union and Chandigarh and Haryana Journalists Union raised their voices against the increasing attacks on journalism at Plaza located in Sector-17.
Addressing journalists fraternity present there, General Secretary of IJU Balwinder Singh Jammu and Punjab and Chandigarh Journalists Union President Balbir Singh Jandu said that the efforts are being made to suppress journalism in the country since 2014. The voices raised against the ruling party are being crushed by the central government. In this way, attempts are being made to undermine the fourth pillar of democracy. Nowadays, most of the media houses have been taken under the control of the governments, the media houses that are there are being occupied by the big corporate houses of the country.
Senior leaders of the Union Ram Singh Brar, Jai Singh Chhibber and Bindu Singh said that the central government and the state governments are trying to control the freedom of journalists that effects freedom of speech and ultimately freedom of Press. The advertisements of media houses are stopped at their various levels by governments. Apart from this, more efforts are made to suppress the voice of journalists who raise voice against the governments.
The senior journalist Tarlochan Singh said that the way governments have started subjugating the media, it is not a positive trend. He invited the journalists to raise their voices against the oppression of the governments.”Let’s raise our voices so that the freedom of the media can be restored” , Tarlochan said. On this occasion, Union members Jagtar Singh Bhullar, Bhupinder Malik, Pritam Singh Rupal, Harnam Singh Dalla, Sarabjit Bhatti and Major Singh and number of journalists from Mohali.
Nawashahr unit of PCJU also staged demonstration.
Harmesh Virdi along with other members of the unit visited Khatkar Kalan and paid floral tribute on the statues of Martyrs and then staged protest on ‘Save Journalists’. In Ludhiana , the journalists under the leadership of senior journalist Santokh Gill did a march on this occasion. Besides Fazilka, the demonstration was also staged in some other districts of Punjab. The Journalists Union is continously demanding that the repealed Journalists Act should be reinstated soon.
