Scribes urge Maharashtra governor to make attacks a non-bailable offence

A delegation of journalists today urged Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan to prevail upon the state government to amend law to make attacks on journalists a non-bailable and cognizable offence.

In a memorandum, journalists from various organisations, representing print and electronic media, demanded that law should be amended to protect journalists from attacks on the lines of the amendment carried out for doctors.

The governor assured the delegation that he would take up the matter with the chief minister Ashok Chavan and home minister RR Patil.

The delegation included Prakash Akolkar, chairman, Press Club, SM Deshmukh, Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Patrakar Parishad, Prakash Mokashi, chairman, Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh and Praful Marpakwar, chairman of the State Accreditation Committee.

The memorandum said that journalists, while doing their duty in collecting news, were increasingly facing violent attacks by those representing powerful vested interests, local goons and underworld dons.

Earlier, the delegation had met Ashok Chavan who also promised to look into its demand.