ATTACKS ON MEDIA HOUSES

EOI, Gangtok, 9 Feb 2014: The newsmakers of the state today thronged on the road of the capital to ensure press freedom and security of the media personnel and media houses in the state.The rally organised by the Press Club of Sikkim was a demonstration against repeated assaults on the journalists in the name of politics.

The rally had the participation of journalists from across the state including Gayzing and Namchi and from neighbouring Kalimpong. As appealed, representatives of various social organisations extended solidarity to the call for media freedom and security and took part in the rally.

The rally began at Deorali truck stand and traversed through Deorali Bazaar, Pani house, NH31A, Hospital Dara and PS Road and culminated outside Paljor Stadium. The participants held placards voicing condemnations to attacks on journalist and media houses. They demanded strict action against the culprits involved to establish a democratic environment where press is free from suppression or attacks.

Representatives of around 52 organizations like Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Sikkim RTI Forum, OMAS and other organisations in Sikkim took part in the rally. They strongly denounced the attack on journalists that has posed a serious threat to the freedom of speech and expression.

Photo: Arjun Piyush

Notably, the rally was organised after a printing press of an English daily was attacked allegedly by a member of ruling party, SDF on January 28. Prior to this the two reporters of the Nepali Daily were also attacked allegedly by the youths of the expanding opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha on January 22 in South Sikkim.

SNS, Gangtok, 9 February: The newsmakers from Sikkim today thronged the road of the capital, demanding Press freedom and security for the media personnel in the state.

Hundreds of journalists from across the state assembled in Gangtok on Sunday, protesting against repeated assaults on the journalists and the media persons by the goons in the state.

The rally, staged to pressure the state administration in ensuring security of the media personnel, was initiated by the Press Club of Sikkim. Journalists from across the state, including Gayzing and Namchi, as well as from Kalimpong in neighbouring Bengal participated. Appealed to for expressing solidarity on the cause, representatives from several social organisations marched shoulder to shoulder with the media persons, asking for fool-proof security for the Press.

The rally began at Deorali truck stand around 11.30 a.m. and traversed through Deorali Bazaar, Pani house, NH31A, Hospital Dara and PS Road before ending outside Paljor Stadium. The participants carried placards, condemning attacks on journalists and media houses and urging action against culprits to establish a democratic ambience where the Press is not gagged by intimidation or attacks.

President of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, C P Giri, expressed concern on the increasing incidents of attacks on the media. Retired Director General of Nagaland Police, he observed Sikkim had been immune from such incidents and Press comparatively free and secure in Sikkim in the past. "This is a new and ominous trend for the Fourth Estate as well as for democracy. I believe law enforcing agencies would take stringent action against the culprits to stop such incidents from recurring," said Mr Giri. Sikkim Press Club general secretary Joseph Lepcha said today’s rally was to create awareness about importance of safety and security of the media. “The rally was also aimed at making the civil society aware of their importance,” he said.