Guwahati: Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) today expressed its concern over repeated verbal attacks on journalists by various individuals in the recent past and urged the State media fraternity to get united against all odds.
The forum in a statement recalled the derogatory comments by the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal against the video journalists, where the Parliamentarian recently stated that they should be beaten. AIUDF is a political party active in the Indian state of Assam.
“While we condemn the attitude of Ajmal and demand necessary actions against the businessman turned politician, we also urge the media persons to show their unity, integrity and professionalism in their workplaces,” said JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria, adding that the management of news channels should come forward defending their employees in such a situation of verbal attacks by politicians and others.
The forum also observed that Assamese entrepreneur turned film producer Luit Kumar Barman had publicly alleged that a few city-based television journalists were beneficiaries of the Rs. 260 crore National Register of Citizens (NRC) Assam updation scam (where Barman is a legal complainant).
The proprietors and editors of news channels should separately clarify that no journalists of their organisations are involved with it, otherwise, the audience may identify the media fraternity as corrupt, concluded the JFA statement.
– global bihari bureau
