Journalists staged a sit-in protest and demanded the Chief Minister to implement the Journalist Protection Act. Former MP, MLA and Congress Party supported the journalists and reached the protest site.

Bureau Chief Rahim Sherani Hindustani - Jhabua

Due to the attacks on journalists in Madhya Pradesh and administrative misbehavior with journalists in Jhabua, journalists from all over the district staged a sit-in protest on Monday under the banner of the District Journalist Association, expressing their anger.

Hundreds of journalists from all over the district came to Jhabua Ambedkar Park and expressed their anger over the implementation of Journalist Protection Act in the state, administrative misbehavior and other demands.

The protest of journalists also got the support of Congress party.

Former MP and Union Minister Kantilal Bhuria, Jhabua MLA Vikrant Bhuria, Congress District President Prakash Ranka, District Organization Minister Jaswant Bhabor, City President Jitendra Rathore, Youth Leader Nervous Amaliyar and other Congress leaders participated.

Jhabua: During the visit of Chief Minister to Jhabua a few days ago, harsh comments were made on journalists by the Collector and SP, which created anger among the journalists. The threatening comments made by the administrative officers were not liked by the writers.

Due to which, a big protest was held by the journalists of the entire district on Monday.

Addressing the protest, senior journalist Harishankar Panwar said that both the administration and the journalists need each other's support, we cannot fight with them, but if the matter is not resolved even through the news, then we will be forced to put down our pens.

He said that journalists should also do journalism seriously.

Manoj Arora said that due to administrative indifference, journalist colleagues from villages had to come to Jhabua to participate in the protest, which is a matter of great regret.

Alok Dwivedi said that in today's times, doing journalism has become a challenge, administrative officers should have a positive attitude towards journalists, but in Jhabua district, the officers are adopting a work style contrary to this.

Patron of the Journalist Association Sanjay Bhatewara said that at present there is a great need for a journalist protection law.

Attacks are being made on journalists from the Panchayat level to the state level and the administration is also targeting journalists.

He said that the statement by Collector Jhabua that everyone has installed cameras far away and we know who is doing what, is very disappointing. The Superintendent of Police says that everyone has issues, what does this mean?

These officers are trying to threaten journalists unofficially, which is intolerable, which will be opposed at every level.

Satyanarayan Sharma of Bamnia said that we are divided into different groups and that is why the administration is harassing us, so we should stay united.

Jarsaab Sangh president Rajesh Soni said that the administration praises good news but when news of public interest is published, the administration talks about taking action.

Rajendra Singh Sonagra said that a step like dharna had to be taken to respect journalists.

Administration and journalists are two sides of the same coin. Both work for the help of the public, but many times the officials sitting in the administration take critical news personally and have animosity towards journalists, which should not happen.

Journalists play an important role in bringing the government's schemes to the ground, however, if administrative and police officers behave like this, then journalists will be discouraged.

Alok Dwivedi said that if the administration cannot respect journalists, then at least they should not insult them.

People are deliberately targeting journalists, this is wrong and is like attacking democracy. Along with this, journalists were also advised not to cross the Laxman Rekha of journalism.

Muzzammil Lala said that efforts are being made to spread classism among journalists, but those who are doing this will not succeed in it. Virendra Bhatt of Petlawad said that notices were sent to the Jal Jeevan Mission through journalists and editors for printing the public version of the collector in the news, but Madam did not take any action against the contractor and the concerned agency, what do the administrative officers want to show by behaving like this.

Now such a time has come that writing news in the interest of the public means inviting trouble.

Virendra Rathore said that the journalism of Jhabua district has never been afraid nor will be afraid, the more anyone tries to suppress our voice, the more outspoken it will be. Collector Madam says that surveillance is being done through cameras, so is it only about journalists? SP Sahab is saying that it is an issue of journalists, so is it only about journalists?

Congress got support

The anger and protest of journalists also got the support of Congress party.

Former Union Minister and senior tribal leader Kantilal Bhuria, Jhabua MLA and National President of Tribal Congress Dr. Vikrant Bhuria, District Congress President Prakash Ranka, City Congress President Jitendra Singh Rathore, District Panchayat President Representative Jaswant Bhabar joined the protest of journalists and criticized the misbehavior of the administration with the journalists and demanded action against such responsible people from the state government.

Jhabua MLA and President of National Tribal Congress Vikrant Bhuria said that journalists are no longer safe in Madhya Pradesh.

In Sidhi, Ujjain and now Jhabua, journalists are facing the brunt of reporting true news, which is reprehensible. Vikrant said that the attack on freedom of press will not be tolerated.

The Congress party will fight for the interests of journalists in the Vidhan Sabha and outside the Vidhan Sabha as well.

A journalist talks about the interests of the public. The government is able to reach its plans to the needy through journalists.

Political parties take the help of journalists to reach their point to the public, but today if the journalists of Jhabua district have to sit on a dharna, then it is clear that the condition of the state will be worse. The voice of journalists cannot be suppressed.

Former Union Minister and former MP Kantilal Bhuria along with Congress District President Prakash Raka said that the voice of journalists is being suppressed in the country. Currently, the Jhabua administration is neither listening to the public nor the public representatives. Bhuria said that the government has given the officers the freedom to take action against anyone who criticizes the government.

Bhuria said that the officers should respect the public representatives and journalists as representatives of the public.

The Congress party will always stand with the journalists in their fight for respect.

After the protest ended,

SD took the memorandum

After the protest which lasted for about three hours, Jhabua SDM Bhaskar Gachle, Tehsildar Sunil Dawar reached the protest site as administrative officers.

Here Mahesh Rathore read out the memorandum.

Radheshyam Patel, Harishankar Pawar, Akshak Bhatt, Sanjay Bhatewara, Rajesh Soni, and many other journalists submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and demanded action on the memorandum within 15 days. A large number of journalists from across the district participated in the protest.

The vote of thanks was given by Jhabua President Radheshyam Patel.