Mahabubnagar: TWJF demands comprehensive support for journalists

Mahabubnagar: The Telangana Working Journalists Federation (TWJF) has demanded the State government provide comprehensive support for all the journalists working in the State.

While addressing a meeting of TWJF district working committee members on Monday at Chemists and Druggists Association Bhavan in Mahabubnagar, Dr Bandi Vijay Kumar, TWJF General Secretary said that the State government has been neglecting the welfare of the journalists and is resorting to filing illegal cases against braving journalists who are questioning the government on the issues of corruption and anti-people's policies.

Dr Kumar asked the Telangana State government to provide comprehensive support to journalists and facilitate them to carry out their duties in a fair and fearless manner without putting any unnecessary curbs on the freedom of speech and expression.

He alleged that the State government is doing nothing for the welfare of the Journalists and has miserably failed in fulfilling the promises made to them. "We are demanding comprehensive support to each and every journalist. The family of a journalist who died while in the profession must be paid an ex-gratia of Rs. 10 lakhs. The Kalyana Laxmi Scheme should also be extended to the Journalists and Rs. 5 lakh Sixteen, must be provided towards the expenses of a marriage of daughters of poor journalists," demanded Bandi Vijay Kumar. Journalists who rendered professional service over 10 years must be provided retirement benefits of Rs. 25 Lakhs and at the same time, every eligible journalist must be provided a double bedroom house or financial aid for the construction of their own house if they already have an open plot for the same.

Senior journalist M Yadagiri called for unity among the journalists and urged them to work together to solve their problems. He demanded the state government appoint an Information and Communication minister in the state.

The TWJF members also demanded free railway travel passes for each and every journalists in the state. The members also urged the government that all journalists referred by the union be issued accreditation cards which should be delivered directly through posts to their home address.

Mettukadi Prabhakar, a journalist from 99TV urged the union members to work for the welfare of the Journalists and make sure they work together with unity. He urged the Union members to fight against the government's atrocious acts of filing illegal cases against journalists who question the government on burning issues. "We want the government to unconditionally withdraw all the illegal cases filed against the journalists," observed Prabhakar.

Senior Journalists Ashok Kumar and Amula Narsimha reminded us that the TWJF's formation is a historic event and it was mainly formed to fight for the rights of the Journalists and freedom of speech and expression. In that context, they urged the Union to fight for the cause of journalists and shun all kinds of silly politics both internally and externally and called for unity among all the members.

National Committee Member Padmanabharao, District Treasurer K Umamaheswararao, Prajajyoti Bureau MD Rafioddin, Indian Deccan vision bureau Kommu Amrut, Doordarshan, All India Reporter Gokulam Ravikumar, Manam Staff Reporter G Narsimulu, Disha Mahabubnagar Staff Reporter M Gopal Manam, Devakadra Union Officer Venkataswamy and others participated. Membership was given to some journalists on this occasion. Earlier, issues related to union membership, district assemblies, national assemblies and the formation of constituency committees were discussed.