Mumbai, Maharashtra

A delegation of journalists under the banner of 'Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti' (Action Committee Against Attacks On Journalists) met Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Monday to protests the threat issued by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to the journalist fraternity at a function held in Nanded recently.

Pawar, at a public meeting in Nanded, had talked of "banning" the media when a television channel cameraman was focusing on a farmer who intervened during his speech to raise a problem, accusing the media of giving negative publicity. Following this incident journalists were manhandled by policemen as also Pawar's supporters.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to Mr Chavan, demanding that Pawar must tender a public apology in the next 48 hours. The delegation also demanded the transfer of the Superintendent of Police posted in Nanded and the Inspector under whose leadership media was manhandled must be dismissed forthwith.

The delegation also pointed out that in the recent past there has been a spate of attacks on journalists across the state and it was high time that the Maharashtra Government enact a law to make attack on journalists a cognizable and non-bailable offence.

The Chief Minister assured the delegation that he would look into the matter.

The organisations and journalists that were part of the delegation include: Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti (SM Deshmukh), Maharashtra State Accreditation Committee (Prafulla Marpakwar), Prasad Mokashi (Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh), Aniket Joshi (Mantralaya Vartahar Sangh), Marathi Patrakar Parishad (Kiran Naik), TV Journalist Association (Prasad Kathe), Bombay Union of Journalists (Inderkumar Jain), Maharashtra Working Journalists Union (Sunil Kuhikar) and Maharashtra Bahujan Patrakar Sangh (Purushottam Aware-Patil) and The Press Club, Mumbai (Mr Sunil Shivdasani).

The Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti would meet again on Wednesday to decide the future course of action.