Hyderabad: In response to the call given by Indian Journalists Union (IJU) working journalists across the country observed “Protest Day” on Friday, the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s 151st birth anniversary. The National Executive committee of IJU which met virtually on 19 September called upon the working journalists to observe country wide Protest Day on 2nd October against the indifferent attitude of the Union and State governments in creating a protecting net for working journalists against the deadly covid 19 pandemic.
Working journalists in various states held dharnas, demonstrations, took out rallies in capital cities and hundreds of towns and presented memorandums to the District Collector/District Magistrates.
In Hyderabad, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) President K Sreenivas Reddy participated in Satyagraha organised by Telangana State Union of Working Journalists. Speaking on the occasion he expressed anguish over the gross negligence of State and Central governments in protecting journalists from the deadly Corona pandemic.
Secretary General of IJU Balwinder Singh Jammu led the demonstration organised by Punjab & Chandigarh Union of Journalists at Chandigarh. In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh IJU Vice President Ambati Anjaneyulu participated in a dharna at Gandhi Statue.
IJU gave this call to highlight the demands of journalists including provision of insurance cover of Rs. 50 Lakhs and free medical care to all journalists and their families who contracted Corona virus. Protesters also demanded the state and central governments to take stringent action against the managements who illegally terminated /retrenched journalists or imposed wage cuts without following the due process of law.
—Agencies

Press Trust of India