Treat journalists as frontline workers in the Corona time

To,

The Hon’ble Prime Minister,

Government of India,

New Delhi-110001

Sub:  Request to treat journalists as frontline workers in the Corona time

Hon’ble Sir,

Hundreds of journalists working for different media organisations have lost their lives in the line of their duties during the Corona time. More journalists have been killed in the second wave of the COVID.  Many of them have freelancers also, who have rendered remarkable service to society by their reports and photographs. We find that the organisations, they have worked, have largely failed to extend any financial support to their families resulting in extreme hardships for them.

The casualties of the journalists have taken in all streams, be it print, electronic or the web. Some of the media organisations are the past masters of exploitation. They keep on taking the work from the journalists as the ‘stringers’ and deprive them with proper appointment letters. When something untoward happens to them, they refuse to accept them as their employees. Thus, such journalists remain do not get even statutory benefits like; Provident Fund, Gratuity or even PF-linked Pension. Governments- either Central or State- also do not come forward to help their families.

Now at the peak of the Corona, some state governments have acceded to our demand to declare some ex-gratia amounts to be paid to the families, who have lost their lives due to the Corona pandemic, but the amount is too little and that too, it is only for accredited journalists. The amount of ex-gratia help is not uniform throughout the country. For instance, it is Rs. five lakhs in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, whereas the Government of Odisha has declared a slightly respectable amount of Rs. 15 lakhs to be given to the family of deceased journalists.

We, therefore, request you, Sir, on behalf of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) treat journalists as frontline workers, as their work cannot be belittled in the time of Corona. The services they render for disseminating information at the risk of their lives are no less than those of any other Corona warriors working in other fields. Their families should be given the uniform ex gratia payment of Rs 50,0000/ (fifty lakh) across the country. The share of the Central and the State Governments may also be determined so as to avoid any hindrance in the way of the smooth payments to their families. This will be a fitting tribute to the journalists on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, which is observed on the 3rd of May every year for more than thirty years across the world.

Yours Sincerely,

Parmanand Pandey

Secretary-General: IFWJ