Journalist protection bill to be brought in current Assembly session: Chhattisgarh CM

Bill for the Protection of Mediapersons to deal with complaints of harassment, intimidation or violence, or unfair prosecution and arrests of mediapersons.

KalimNews and Agencies, 17 March, 2023, Raipur :  Chattisgarh government is keen to pass a bill for the protection of journalist, which was its move since 2018. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel declared that in the cabinet meeting of his government the draft bill is passed and the assembly will pass a bill related to protection of journalists during this budget session.

While addressing press personnel gathered in Punjab Keshari Bhavan of Jora at Raipur during the 10th plenary Session of Indian Journalists Union, he declared that it will be tabled in the ongoing budget session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly, and it will take some time to go through some official procedures for its enactment. 

In 2020, the draft committee, headed by justice Aftab Alam, submitted the Bill to the state government which was sent to the secretaries committee for further suggestions. The draft committee was formed in March 2019 by the Congress government. 

“The secretaries committee which includes senior government officials recommended some changes and was again submitted to the government a few weeks back. After these changes, the draft bill is now with the law department. It will be a landmark for the protection of journalists of the state. 

The earlier draft in the chapter ‘ Eligibility of Mediaperson’ said that anyone is considered as a mediaperson who have published six articles in mass media in last three months or, anyone who have received three payments from media establishments or anyone who have taken photographs that have been published in mass media three times in the last three months or columnists or freelancers whose work has been published six times in mass media in last six months or persons who have reported news or views for mass media six times in the last three months or persons who have a valid identity card or a letter from a media establishment certifying that the applicant is currently employed by them. 

Freelancers, bloggers and contributors will also be covered under the proposed Chhattisgarh Protection of Media Persons Act, which also proposes jail term of a year for those found to be harassing journalists, according to a draft of the law submitted to the state government. The definition of media persons has been widened to include all forms of news gathering including photos, video, digital graphics and text content provided the journalist seeking protection has at least three published works in three to six months before making the complaint.

Those who have been paid thrice in the last six months by a media outlet will also be entitled for protection under the new law. “Those writing or working for any digital media would also be covered in addition to newspapers and television news,” said a member of the committee that drafted the proposed law.

The committee member said that the new law proposes the constitution of a media protection unit in every district and at state-level, in which the representatives of the media would be elected by the local journalists.

“Whoever, being a public servant, willfully neglects their duties under this Act or the rules made under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or both. Similarly, whoever, actively prevents, obstructs, or in any way hinders the registration of a person entitled to registration as a media person under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or both,” the final draft stated.

After the Bill is passed the government will constitute a Committee for the Protection of Mediapersons to deal with complaints of harassment, intimidation or violence, or unfair prosecution and arrests of mediapersons.

In 2017, the Maharashtra government passed the Journalist Protection Act which was struck down by the President of India questioning the reason behind the special Act for protection of journalists if there is already a provision of punishment for cognisable and non-cognisable offences in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and the India Penal Code (IPC).

Officials in Chhattisgarh believe that the Maharashtra Journalist Protection Bill talks about amending the IPC and CrPC , which is very complicated. “This is the only reason, the Maharashtra Act is pending with the President of India but we have not made such a mistake,” said another official.

Representatives of the 12 different state union affiliates were present in the national level meeting being held on 17 and 18 March 2023. He also felicitated senior journalist members of Chattisgarh Shramjivi Patrakar Sangha. .

He also congratulated the newly elected President of the Indian Journalists Union, Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General Sabina Inderjeet.

Earlier, PTI added that the chief minister made the announcement while replying to a debate on the demand for grants for his departments under the annual budget of the financial year 2022-23.

The CM also hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre over raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax department at the premises of government officials and Congress leaders, and alleged the action was aimed at defaming his administration.

Baghel holds General Administration, Finance, Energy, Mineral Resources, Public Relations, Electronics and Information Technology and Aviation portfolios.

The CM also listed measures taken by his government in the interest of mediapersons.

Targeting the Centre over ED and IT raids, Baghel said, “.. those officials who have committed wrong are in jail. Those who have done anything wrong should be in jail. Investigations (by central probe agencies) should be followed by reports. One by one raids are being conducted but no report is being presented.” “Investigations will continue till the Lok Sabha elections next year because you (Centre) are not interested in probe…rather you are interested in defaming,” alleged the Congress leader.

The ED has been probing the coal levy money laundering case in Chhattisgarh and so far arrested nine persons, including an Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer and a state service bureaucrat.