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Ensure safety of journalists: S. Asia Media Commission

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) has strongly condemned the June 5 mob attack on the Mumbai house of Kumar Ketkar, Editor of Loksatta, following an editorial in the daily criticising the Maharashtra government’s decision to install at great expense a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji off Marine Drive.

The SAMC has demanded that the attack be investigated by the police without fear or favour. It called on the Maharashtra government to ensure the safety of journalists and safeguard freedom of expression and the rule of law.

“Journalists and newspapers have a democratic and constitutionally guaranteed right freely to express their views on every topic under the sun. Those who don’t like these views have the right to criticise them and differ from them through constitutional and peaceful means,” said N. Ram and Nihal Singh of the SAMC.

“Competitive chauvinism and intolerance is a serious threat to media freedom and freedom of expression, which is growingly menaced in our region by the belief in various quarters that the news media can be threatened and browbeaten into silence by strong-arm methods and violence, misuse of the law, or abuse of political power. The safety of journalists has become a critical issue across the countries of South Asia,” said the statement.

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