CHATTISGARH, 18 March 2023 : A.K.Rai, Secretary of Eastern Himalayan Journalists Union (EHJU) is elected as National Secretary during the 10th Plenary Session of the Indian Journalist Union held on 17th and 18th March at Punjab Keshari Bhavan of Jora in Raipur (Chattisgarh).
The meeting was hosted by Chattisgarh Shramjiwi Patrakar Kalyan Sangh and attended by Bhupesh Baghel Chief Minister of Chattisgarh as the chief guest A.K.Rai Secretary of the EHJU and National Council member representing the EHJU and the state of West Bengal attended the plenary session and National Executive Committee meeting.
During the meeting, senior Journalists of Chhattisgarh were felicitated by the Chief Minister Baghel. While addressing more than 200 journalist delegates of IJU representing 13 states and members of Chattisgarh Shramjiwi Patrakar Kalyan Sangh Baghel stated that the Chhattisgarh Cabinet has given its nod to a bill concerned with the prevention of violence against journalists, drafted by the concerned committee. The decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting held on 17 March 2023, which was chaired by the CM himself. He further stated that the Chhattisgarh Protection of Media persons Bill 2023, which aims to protect journalists in the state will be placed in the state assembly during the budget session with top priority for its enactment. (Note: Later on 22 March 2023 the Chhattisgarh Media Personnel Security Bill, 2023 was passed by the Assembly)
REPORTS:
The reports of the president, secretary general, treasurer and different states were read, submitted and accepted in the meeting. The IJU president Geetartha Pathak in his report said that “journalists, media, and journalism itself have never faced such a formidable challenge as we have been experiencing over the last eight years.”
“IJU is relentlessly fighting for the rights of journalists, freedom of media, better working conditions for media persons and freedom of speech for all the citizens of the country since its inception”.
“The divisive trend in journalists’ unions is an area of great concern,” he called for unity among the journalists of the country for promotion of free press.
“The IJU is spreading from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from the Northeast to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands,” he added.
Pathak said also that “journalism, being a vital pillar of democracy, needs more support from the respective state governments and administrations.”
“Although a few state governments have come up with medical welfare schemes for journalists, many states have not taken any such initiative. Since journalism is a profession with risks to lives and health, the government and the media employers should put in place compulsory insurance policies for all journalists,” he added.
Secretary General Inderjit in her report gave a clarion call to the IJU members and the states’ leaderships to “gear up and change their outlook as unions to meet new challenges.”
“Media industry is also going through dramatic changes. We are in the digital age now, surpassing print and electronic media, and therefore we need to gear up and change our outlook as unions to meet new challenges,” she added.
She expressed concern over the growing attacks on journalists.
“Governments, both state and central, used the pandemic to gag the media from reporting ground situation. The DMA and the Epidemic Act were brazenly misused to clamp down on independent reportage. There is a clampdown on social media too with a skewed digital draft policy, which has been challenged in courts.
There’s a chilling effect with FIRs filed or journalists being jailed for their writings and posts by using draconian Acts like NSA, UAPA, etc,” she added.
Stating that Indian media is going through its trials and tribulations “like those in other countries under nationalist governments,” she exhorted the journalists to fight the dangerous trend.
She also highlighted the visit of the representatives of IJU in Oman and formation of a new body Federation of Asia Pacific Journalists a new regional organisation of the International Federation of Journalists in which she is elected as the founder President.
ELECTION
During the plenary Ramkung Pamei, the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) appointed by IJU for the election of new office bearers conducted the Election procedure for the reconstitution of the union for the next term 2023-25. The election for all the posts including the President and Secretary General was completed as per the rules.
The election result was declared by the CRO as follows:
President– Geetartha Pathak (Assam),
Vice Presidents– Srinivas (Arunachal Pradesh),
B D Nizami (Chattisgarh),
C Basheer Madala (Kerala),
Secretary General– Sabina Inderjeet (Delhi),
Secretaries– Amar Sangno (Arunachal Pradesh),
Sashibhusan (Odissa),
B. Sivakumar (Tamil Nadu),
Pranab Sarkar (Tripura),
Shiv Prakash Gaur (Uttar Pradesh),
Dr. Shailesh Kumar Pandey (Uttar Pradesh),
A.K.Rai (West Bengal) and
Treasurer – Asem Bhakt Singh (Manipur).
NEC Members– YS Rajeshwara Rao and C B Mohan Rao (Andhra Pradesh),
Taya Bagang (Arunachal Pradesh),
Sameem Sultana Ahmed (Assam),
Izhar Ahmed and Vijay Landge (Chattisgarh),
Imtiyaz Ahmad Bazaz (Jammu Kashmir),
O P Ismail (Kerala),
Khwairakpam Naoba and K. Saroj kumar Sharma (Manipur),
Saratchandra Bahera (Odissa),
JN Gokul kumar (Tamil Nadu),
Santosh Gope (Tripura) and
Yadav Giri Rao (Andaman & Nicobar).
DISCUSSION ON MERGER
During the plenary, the discussion on merger of IJU with the other Akhouri faction of IJU, started from last year was discussed after having had an extended meeting attended by its president Vinod Kohli and secretary general S. Sabanayakan. Kohli is the President of the Chandigarh-Punjab Union of Journalists and also a member of the Press Council of India. Sabanayakan is the president of Indian Journalists Association of West Bengal established in 1924.
It was decided that the representatives of the two groups will meet once again with no preconditions and a committee consisting of 6 members has been formed in this regard.
RESOLUTIONS
In the plenary, few demands to be placed to the government and governmental agencies were discussed, and they were: Re starting of railway travel concession, free parking, free road toll tax, free medical treatment/ welfare scheme, pension, health and life insurance, constitution of third press commission, passing of journalist protection act bill for all journalists in all states.
During the plenary, it passed the following resolutions:-
The expulsion of Sreenivas Reddy, BS Jammu, Narender Reddy, S.N.Sinha and Prem Nath Bhargava on the ground of anti-union activity and indiscipline after undergoing all disciplinary measures was approved and confirmed. It also made the following amendment in the constitution of the union.
AMENDMENTS
Amendment no. A) dated 18 March 2023
In Rule 22# (a) of the Constitution of Indian Journalists Union
After the second sentence “The NEC shall determine the ……. their approved membership.”
ADD
“ 1 (one) National Council (NC) member for every 150 (one hundred fifty) members subject to Minimum 1 (one) and maximum 10 (ten) NC members.”
Amendment no. B) dated 18 March 2023
In Rule 22 # (b) of the Constitution of Indian Journalists Union
Substitute the whole sentence by
“There shall be a National Executive Committee consisting of not more than 27 members including the President, 4 Vice Presidents, a Secretary General, 7 Secretaries and a Treasurer.”
Amendment no. C) dated 18 March 2023
In Rule 22 # (e) of the Constitution of Indian Journalists Union
Substitute the whole sentence by
“Four Vice Presidents, seven secretaries, the treasurer and other members of the National Executive Committee shall be elected by the members of the National Council at the Plenary/delegate session in the manner and by the rules framed by the National Executive Committee.”
……………….
OTHERS
The newly elected office bearers of the NEC took charge of the office and also hold a NEC meeting.
The meeting called upon all the office bearers to take their responsibility actively and help the Secretary General and the president hand in hand to solve different issues of internal as well as external affairs.
It decided to form four regional subcommittees (North East- Amar Sangno and Khwairakpam Naoba; North- …. ; Mid India- B D Nizami and …; South India- ….) to meet the journalists friends of neighbouring states to invite them to join IJU and form affiliate units in their states.
It also resolved to appoint an office staff for the office work of the Secretary General.
The next NEC meeting will be held in Agartala of Tripura.
