NEW DELHI: The Home Minister S.B.Chayan and’ the Information Broadcasting Minister Ajit Panja had two rounds of discussions to review security arrangements for electronic media Personnel in Punjab and Jammu

Official sources said that it was decided that the Home Ministry would examine each of the AIR id Doordarshan installations in these sensitive areas and assess security threat faced by it as a prerequisite for tightening security arrangements at them.

‘This matter has required even More urgency after the renewed threat by the Babbar Khalsa to ‘blow up media units in Punjab and the demands of the angry and frightened electronic media staff in the state in the aftermath of the ‘Killing of M:L.Manchanda.

Even as they have resumed work ‘after a four day shut down the electronic media staff in the state have declared that they will boycott all state government functions. ‘They implemented this itself by refusing to cover a function attended by the Chief Minister.

The two ministries agreed to conduct periodic reviews of security for media personnel in order to sustain regular follow-up on this issue. At the first meeting the two ministers met alone. Later they were assisted by senior officials from both ministries:

It was felt at the meeting that with the tightening of security electronic media staff would leave to be more stringent in following the guidelines laid down for them. It was pointed out for instance that even Manchanda who had been allotted a house in: security zone preferred to stay in his own home in Panipat. There were many such instances in bow the troubled states which would have to be sorted out.

Twenty-six electronic media officials have also been identified by the two ministries as facing a high security threat. That number is likely to increase as more detailed discussions take place in coming days.

The meeting also discussed the movement of paramilitary forces into AIR and DD installations and the modalities of providing transport to electronic media personnel in the troubled states.

The charter of demands of media personnel in Punjab which the government has agreed to consider also came up for discussion. Both the demand for insurance cover and for one-year deputation for employees posted in sensitive areas appears to be in troubled waters since the government feels that by allowing these facilities for media personnel it would have to do the same for Central government employees posted in these areas.

The employees demand for a clear-cut media policy in Punjab in light of the “code” issued by militants has not been discussed in detail yet Official sources said the demand basically political in nature had wide ramifications and would have to be considered carefully.

However was learned that the former Principal Information Officer to the government Rammohan Rao will be appointed media adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir government in order to help the state government formulate a more effective media policy

The three member Central team led by Doordarshan DC S.K.Kapoor had discussions in Punjab with the Chief Minister Beant Singh and was scheduled to return to the capital.

Of AIR and Doordarshan employees have decided to boycott coverage of the Punjab government even as they resumed near normal duties after a four-day shutdown.

The AIR and Doordarshan staff did not cover a rural function attended among others by the Chief Minister Beant Singh at Kang Khurd village in Jalandhar district.

A forum spokesman said that except for outdoor coverage by the staff of the two media employees had resumed normal functioning in Punjab and Chandigarh. They said only VIPs like the President and Prime Minister would be covered by them. The boycott of Punjab government will continue until a further decision is taken by the forum he added.

The joint forum condemned the Punjab government for ignoring its moral responsibility towards the staff of the official media before and after the killing of the Patiala Radio Station Engineer M.L.Manchanda by militants on May 27. The spokesman said though the Chief Minister was in the city they received no word of sympathy or assurance from him.

The Chief Minister however issued a sympathy appeal and discussed their problems with the DG’s of AIR and Doordarshan.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 12, 1992