The Press Council of India (PCI) in its latest report has claimed that around 140 assaults on journalists have come to light in Maharashtra this year. This includes a case of attempt to murder too. More importantly, of them only 13 were
registered with the police. PCI member Anil Aggarwal revealed the details of the report on Tuesday.
“The number of attacks is shocking, and even more significant is the fact that the state government has not even registered all these cases. As per the record available with the state police, only 13 attacks on journalists were registered at police stations and are currently been investigated,” Mr Aggarwal told reporters.
He was appointed by PCI chief justice Markandey Katju to investigate the acid attack on Dinesh Choudhary, a reporter with Dainik Sholapur and Tarun Bharat from the Parbhani district. Mr Choudhary was attacked by five persons, which resulted in injuries to him, his wife and daughter.
Mr Aggarwal alleged that the state government did not seem to be in favour of the proposed law that ensures protection to journalists from such violent attacks and threats. “When I met home minister R.R. Patil on the issue, he told us that not a single minister from the state Cabinet wanted the proposed law to be passed,” Mr Aggarwal said.
“Similarly, when I tried to meet chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, he denied the request giving reasons of his busy schedule. Later when I reached Aurangabad, I received a call from the CMO asking me to meet them within one hour, which was not possible at all,” the PCI member said, explaining the CM’s lack of seriousness over the issue.
After a new legislation for doctors, the state home department has drafted a law to protect journalists from violent attacks, but the draft Bill got stuck due to the lack of political will. However, when the Bill came for discussion in the state Cabinet, a sub-committee was decided to be formed under the leadership of industries minister Narayan Rane.
The committee also submitted its recommendations over the Bill, but nothing has been done so far.