Press freedom has fallen: Sainath

Right to life — a fundamental constitutional right — cannot co-exist without the right to work, said independent and veteran journalists on the issue of ‘Attack on Independent Journalism’ at the Press Club of India on Thursday. Five press associations – Press Club of India, Delhi Union of Journalists, Press Association, Indian Women Press Corps and Kerala Union of Working Journalists – passed a joint resolution.

The event marked the one-year anniversary of the raids on digital news platform Newsclick and the arrest of founder Prabir Purkayastha and HR Amit Chakravarty veteran journalist P Sainath, in a video message played at the event said, “The press freedom index of the country has fallen dramatically to 159th position in 2024.”

The resolution presented by the five associations also criticised the new amendments to the IT Act and features in the Broadcast Bill aimed at regulating content on the grounds of public interest and national security. The new labour codes restrict the right of association and legalise the short duration ‘fixed term employment’ which will make hire and fire easy, the resolution said.

Journo alleges persecution by Punjab govt

New Delhi: Punjab-based journalist Rajinder Singh Taggar, 59, joined the protest meeting regarding ‘Attack on Independent Journalism’ held at Press Club of India on Thursday. Taggar alleged that the Punjab Government has persecuted journalists in the state including him by filing cases against them. He said he had been granted bail in four cases registered against him. He said he had written a letter to the Union Home Minister, sent through his son while his was in Ludhiana Central Jail, dated September 7. Taggar runs a social media channel under the name – Punjab Dastavez.