PCI sub-committee team arrives to take stock of situation
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

Imphal / New Delhi, September 24 2013: A team of six delegates led by Amarnath Kosuri, Member, Press Council of India and Convener, PCI Sub-Committee on Safety of Journalists arrived at Imphal today.

The PCI sub-committee team was accorded a warm reception at Imphal Airport by a team of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) led by its president Wangkhemcha Shamjai.

The PCI Sub-committee will interact with working journalists and editors and other sections of the society to get a feed back on situation in the State regarding the safety of journalists.

They will also meet the officials later to seek their clarifications on the issues raised by the working journalists and others.

The PCI sub-committee will hold meetings with media fraternity tomorrow at Hotel Classic.

The team will also meet State officials the next day.

President AMWJU welcoming PCI team

A first visit of the Sub-committee to Manipur, the PCI has mandated the committee to study the issue of safety of journalists in the country in view of fatal attacks on them from a variety of sources, from extremist forces of different hues, mafia, political forces and police force, Amarnath Kosuri told The Sangai Express.

"We have so far visited ten States� Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya," said Kosuri.

"Our task is to study the situation in trouble-torn States where the attacks and killings of journalists are taking place.

We interact with the journalists and other stake holders and with the authorities both civilian and police", Kosuri elaborated.

The committee is examining the desirability and possibility to enact a special law at the all India level for protection of journalists and in case of fatalities adequate compensation to the families of the victims.

The PCI sub committee will meet Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretary of I&PR Department and Director General of Police.

"We will try to get an appointment with the Chief Minister and Home Minister," Kosuri said, adding, "Chairman of PCI addressed a letter to the Chief Minister on the subject when the publication of newspapers were stopped by the publishers as the hawkers were threatened.

So far the Chief Minister has not responded" .

Convener of the PCI sub committee on safety of Journalists stated that the recent developments in Manipur which impacted on the freedom of the press is a matter of concern for the PCI and the journalists' community in the country.

A Bench of Supreme Court headed by Justice Sudharshan Reddy had also ruled that stoppage of distribution of newspaper copies amounted to pre-censorship which is illegal.

Stating that it is the responsibility of the Govt to ensure rule of law, any infringement of freedom of the press should not be allowed.

The Sub committee will observe the situation in the State and submit a separate report to PCI, the Convenor said.