At least a dozen organisations of media people of Assam Thursday decided to organise demonstrations across the state Sep 1 to protest a spate of attacks on journalists.
They have also decided to boycott all news related to the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) for three months.
At least ten media people sustained injuries in attacks in different parts of the state Aug 28, when AAMSU called a bandh.
Several representatives of the media gathered Thursday in the Guwahati Press Club and unanimously sought a public apology from the AAMSU leadership for the attacks.
“It is observed that some anti-social elements have come up with an evil design to spread terror among the peace-loving people of Assam. They have strategically started attacking media people. At least ten media people were injured in attacks by those supporting the bandh call of Aug 28,” said Nava Thakuria, secretary (Eastern India), National Federation of Newspaper Employees.
Some of the journalists received severe injuries and were admitted to hospital, Thakuria said.
“We are annoyed that the police and paramilitary personnel on duty turned onlookers while the media people were attacked by goons with sticks and sharp weapons,” he said, appealing to editors of newspapers and news channels to blank out the AAMSU, and not cover speeches by its leadership or write articles about it for three months.
The meeting Thursday urged press clubs, press guilds and organisations of journalists not to support press meetings of the AAMSU.
The meeting appealed to journalists of Assam to wear black badges on Sep 1.
Thakuria said that the journalists reiterated to the state government the need for group insurance (for both life and health) for media people in the state.
