Scribes protest against anti-media policies

Vidyanagar: Condemning anti-media and anti-labour policies of the central government, journalists staged protest before central deputy chief labour commissioner's office here on Friday. A large number of journalists from across the city participated in the protest despite heavy rains.

Addressing the protesting journalists, Indian Journalists' Union president Devulapally Amar warned that the central government would face severe consequences for its anti-media and anti-labour stance. He expressed concern over treating media, which is the fourth pillar of democracy, on a par with other industries and termed the move as anti-constitutional.

Criticising the Modi government for its anti-media stance, Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) adviser Srinivas Reddy said that the central government had been violating the Constitution by curbing freedom of press. While the people of India elected Modi in the hope that he would strive for progress of the nation, Modi was adopting anti-people policies.

Srinivas Reddy demanded that the central government withdraw its decision to scrap Wage Board, which was formed by the Congress government in 1958 to uphold the sanctity of journalist profession. Later, a delegation of journalists submitted a memorandum against the move to the deputy labour commissioner.