Journos wear black to protest CM's remarks

PTI, PANAJI | 03 March 2014 20:46 IST

GUJ President Kishor Naik with black badge

Several journalists under the aegis of Goa Union of Journalists on Monday sported black bands during the State Legislative Assembly session here to protest Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement accusing the media of indulging in paid news practice.

Journalists wore black wrist bands while attending the session which began today with Goa Governor BV Wanchoo's address.

GUJ, an apex body of Goa-based journalists, had sought a written apology from Parrikar after he accused the media of indulging in paid news and said it was being controlled by Opposition Congress party.

Addressing a public function recently, Parrikar had also commented on the salary of journalists.

"What is a reporter's salary? How much does a news reader earn? Maybe Rs 25,000. They are mostly graduates. They are not great thinkers... intellectuals. They write news how they understand it," he had said.

GUJ President Kishor Naik Gaonkar said the union had requested the chief minister to apologise over his comments, but he has not yet responded back.

"Last Monday, we had requested him to apologise for his comments against the media... But he has not responded in anyway to it. Thats why we have decided to lodge a protest by wearing black bands on our wrist. We will continue protesting throughout the session, until he apologises," Naik said.

"We are very pained that the same Chief Minister who is very sensitive and supportive towards demands of the media is behaving otherwise by casting aspersions on the fourth estate," he said.

The Chief minister's office has said that Parrikar will be meeting GUJ representatives later in the day to discuss the issue.


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