Pen Claims One against Sword
The state finally brings a law to protect journalists against violent attacks
It’s an ignoble record for a state. The year 2016 saw as many as 82 attacks on mediapersons, one almost every four days. In 2017, there have already been 14 instances of such assaults till April. Indeed, in the past decade, mobs have vandalised the premises of 54 media houses. A detailed compilation of ‘attacks on the press’, by the Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti (PHVKS), an umbrella body of journalist unions, prompted the Devendra Fadnavis government to act.
On April 7, the state legislature (both assembly and council) unanimously endorsed the Maharashtra Mediapersons and Media Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2017, making Maharashtra the first state in the country to offer legal protection to journalists.
Notably, during the passage of the legislation in the legislative council, even Congress leader Narayan Rane, whose committee had initially questioned the need for such a law, acquiesced quietly. He was clearly unwilling to upset journalist associations that have been demanding legal protection for over a decade now.
The new law makes assaulting a journalist a non-bailable offence with three years of jail for the guilty. Conversely, it prescribes similar penalties for journalists found guilty of misusing the law.
PHVKS convenor S.M. Deshmukh believes it will discourage future attacks on reporters and cameramen. “Most attackers belong to political organisations. They will now think twice before assaulting a journalist,” he says admitting that loopholes still remain. For example, a Deputy SP rank police officer needs to certify the victim as a ‘ journalist’ before an FIR invoking provisions of the new law can be registered. That being the case, he still wants the legislation to be adopted as federal law.