Medicos keep media persons in wrongful confinement at Cuttack: Action called for

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

When his father was an indoor patient in SCB Medical College Hospital, reporter Chittaranjan of Naxatra News, while attending him, came across such irregularities in the hospital management and health care that as a media person it was to him imprudent to ignore. He was in a predicament. He knew that it would be irritating to the College authorities as well as to the hospital’s medical staff if the irregularities were exposed and may lead to debacle of his ailing father. Yet he also knew that if he sloughs over the irregularities, his professional conscience would never excuse him. He battled against himself and finally decided to honor his professional conscience. He captured some evidences of irregularities in camera on 14 06 1013. This irked the medicos.

Today, at around 5.30 PM of June 15, when Chitta and a co-reporter had been to the medical college and hospital to attend to his bedridden ailing father, a irritated gang of medicos numbering about 30, attacked them suddenly and forcefully took them into confinement.

The wrongful confinement lasted for about two hours.

The reporters were threatened with dire consequences if the tapes on which visuals were shot yesterday were not handed over to them immediately. But the tape was not with the reporters as by that time they had already submitted the same in the bureau office. Their tormentors asked them to kneel down holding the ears by both the hands till they were released at about 7.30 in the evening.

On behalf of ‘Naxatra News’ channel, its editor-in-chief Basudev Mohapatra has condemned the hooliganism resorted to by the medicos and has appealed to media fraternity to unite against such attack so as to protect free press in the State.

Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) Presidium member Prasanta Patnaik is in consultation with other members over the issue.

Filed under: Health, law and order, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Grand Reception given to victims of the gang of Samaja occupiers

Posted on May 5, 2013 by orissamattersbbsr

Mirzapur_podium

Devi Prasanna Nayak and Subash Chandra Singh, President and General Secretary respectively of the trade union of the Samaja employees and Brajabhai, under whose stewardship the down going paper was brought back to rejuvenation around a decade ago, were given a grand reception in a public conference convened by ‘Save the Samaja Forum’ in a densely populated patch of rural Orissa at Mirjapur of Jajpur on May Day, 2013, immediately after they were released from judicial custody.

mirzapur_Pabitra

Pabitra Maharatha, coordinator of SSF initiated the public meeting with a brief description of how release of the trio has proved that for all times to come the miscreants cannot keep the law hoodwinked. He passed on to the participants in the conference the wishes of solidarity sent by eminent journalist Prasanta Patnaik, joint convener of SSF, who, busy in MUFP action against police atrocities on media persons covering the lower Suktel unrest, could not attend the conference.

Chaired by journalist Ranjit Raut, the event was addressed by the representative-in-chief of orissamatters.com Sri Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, the other convener of SSF. Welcoming the three victims of false allegations back to their freedom, Sri Pattanayak praised them for their prudent and principled role in dealing with the illegalities the Samaja employees are subjected to. He gave a detail depiction of how the paper founded by Pt. Gopabandhu, revered and remembered for humanitarianism, is being used against human rights of the employees and how unfair labor practices are rampant in the organization in absence of valid standing orders.

Mirzapur_SCP

Devi Prasanna, Subash and Brajabhai had to suffer loss of their liberty because of a nefarious design engineered by a combine of swindlers of the funds of the Samaja and a pack of police black sheep, taking advantage of a defective judicial system, where the primary court does not think it necessary to go beyond the assortment of accusations to be prima facie convinced that the forwarding officer is not influenced by the accuser, said Sri Pattanayak.

Educationist Benudhar Dobai, and eminent socio-political leaders of the locality Raghunath Das and Laxman Raut expressed solidarity with the trio in their just fight against oppression and against corruption in Utkalmani’s paper, the paper to which the people of Orissa have always emotionally helped.

mirzapur_brajabhai

In response to the reception, Brajabhai informed the public that his positive role in bettering the Samaja has led to exposure of the negative role played by fellows like Manubhai Patel and therefore, in nexus with a corrupt police they have coined concocted cases against him.

Subash Singh said, the workers and working journalists of the Samaja shall continue to treat the paper as their own and therefore, the looters of the Samaja fund and users of the paper in their own interest would continue to treat the employees as their enemies. But the working class shall win and the manipulators shall fail, he said.

Mirzapur_Devi P.Nayak

Devi Prasanna Nayak declared that he shall continue to oppose the killing of the spirit of Gopabandhu in the Samaja set up and thanked the general public for its tremendous support to the employees in their fight for justice.

Amongst others, educationist Binod Bihari Behera, Prashant Dwivedi, Sridhar Sahu,Subash Mishra, Purusottam Das, Kedar Deo, Uday Mallik, Jnanaranjan Aich, Bijay Kumar Das were conspicuous by their participation.

Youth leader Ranjan Deo proposed vote of thanks.

Filed under: actionscript, administration, Employees' Issues, judiciary, law and order, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

MUFP DEMANDS UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF AMITABH PATRA AND ARREST OF COPS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRUTAL ATTACK AGAINST THE JOURNALIST

Posted on May 2, 2013 by orissamattersbbsr

under the freedom tree

The Media Unity for Freedom of Press ( MUFP) today staged a protest demonstration under the Freedom Tree near Jaidev Bhawan against the brutal police attack on a television journalist Amitabh Patra while he was covering the local agitation at Dunguripali in Lower Suktel project area in Bolangir on the 29th of May.

Sri Patra who is now receiving treatment at the Burla medical college hospital is still in police custody because he has been arrested on false charges that he was inciting the protesters ! The visuals captured by local media persons shows clearly how he was targeted by a group of policemen who beat him black and blue with lathis and kept kicking him even when he had fallen on the ground.

The MUFP has demanded immediate and unconditional release of Amitabh Patra as well as the identification and arrest of the police officials who were involved in the attack that left him with serious head injury. The media body has also demanded payment of compensation for or replacement of Sri Patra’s damaged video camera.

MUFP has strong reasons to believe that Sri Patra was targeted because he was recording the barbaric manner in which the police were beating up the peaceful protesters including young women with his camera. His camera was smashed before he was roughed up by a group of men in khaki who were reportedly drunk.

MUFP has threatened to resort to state-wide agitation if Amitabh Patra is not released unconditionally and no action taken against the policemen responsible for the brutal attack on him.

Over 30 scribes and photographers led by senior journalists Prasanta Patnaik and Rabi Das participated in today’s protest.

Filed under: actionscript, administration, law and order, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

MUFP stands with TV scribe

Posted on May 2, 2013 by orissamattersbbsr

The MUFP condemns the brutal attack by armed police on TV reporter Amitabh Patra on April 29 early morning who was doing his duty of covering an agitation against Lower Suktel Dam in Dunguripali of Balangiri district.

AMITABH PATRA_INJUREDHis TV camera has been smashed and he has sustained grievous injury on his head. No head scan has been done so far. Without any reason he has been arrested.

The MUFP demands the following:

1. Immediate and unconditional release of Amitabh Patra

2. Offering him proper medical treatment in a proper place with cost to the state

3. Restoration of his camera and returning the same to him in its original condition.

4. Arrest of police officials who have launched the brutal attack on him

5. Compensation for the injury and for loss of property

6. Release of other media persons including Lenin Ray of Nissan

6. Provide proper protection to media persons on duty in sensitive areas and on sensitive matters.

For MEDIA UNITY FOR FREEDOM OF PRESS (MUFP ), Presidium.
Prasanta Patnaik, Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, Gopal Mohapatra, Rabi Das,
Prafulla Das, Ashok Mohapatra, Dwinjen Padhi, Gourahati Das, Sampad Mohapatra, Dwijen Padhi, Sudhir Patnaik

Filed under: actionscript, administration, law and order, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Bhubaneswar scribes appeal for financial support to treatment of Jyoti

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

photo of jyotiEarlier in these pages an appeal from Media Unity for Freedom of Press for financial support to TV journalist Jyoti Prakas Mishra has attracted your attention. Here below is an appeal in Oriya:

appeal for jyoti

Filed under: Health, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Journalist in medical: MUFP Appeals for financial support

Posted on January 18, 2013 by orissamattersbbsr

Prameya TV person Jyoti Prakash Mishra, only 30 years in age, is in end stage renal disease with both the kidneys affected. According to Kalinga Hospital, Bhubaneswar, where he is now under treatment, the only possible remedy lies in kidney transplantation.

Rs.6.6 lakhs is the cost of transplantation and care as estimated by the said hospital.

The family of Mishra having no capacity to organize this amount, Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) has invoked the extended family of the fraternity and humanity to come to his rescue.

MUFP Presidium comprising Prasanta Patnaik, Sampad Mohapatra, Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, Rabi Das, D.N. Singh, Prafulla Das, Gopal Mohapatra, Sudhir Patnaik and Dwijen Padhi has appealed all lovers of Free Press to contribute liberally to the treatment fund of Sri Mishra.

The support amount may please be deposited in Account No. 20026001893 in the I.R.C. Village Evening Branch of State Bank of India for his treatment.

Drops of water makes an ocean, the MUFP has stressed in its appeal.

Let us all join hands to save a very young and promising media person.

Filed under: Health, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

A Dilemma and the Decision

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

I was in a dilemma, because of personal reservation, when a registered body of Orissan Journalists styled National Journalists Welfare Board invited me to accept a pension it is to introduce on International Press Day, 2012 in recognition of lifelong contribution to journalism.


The NJWB is neither recognized by any national organization of journalists nor has any official status to grant any senior journalist any pension. Within the prevalent frame of journalists’ welfare, its signature is not authentic on the basis of any law relevant to the journalists. This was the cause of dilemma.

I consulted my friend Prasanta Patnaik and other senior journalists.

The State government has a ‘Working Journalists’ Welfare Fund’. When I was the Secretary of Orissa Union of Journalists, on demands of OUJ, the then Information Minister Sarat Kumar Kar had constituted this fund. As the matter hit the proposed agenda before the Cabinet, the Law Minister – himself a lawyer – took the cue and a ‘Welfare Fund’ for the lawyers was immediately put on the anvil. The later took the shape of a law whereas the former got the shape of an executive resolution.

Both the journalists and the lawyers are professionals in genre and serve the two pillars of democracy – the Press and the Judiciary – respectively, to set right the direction of democracy often derailed by the other two pillars – Legislative and Executive.

These two pillars – Legislative and Executive – that often derail democracy, are well fueled with pension provisions.But the real propellers of the rest two pillars that save democracy from derailment are left to their fates in our system. Hence, it was essential to have state funding for welfare funds for both the journalists and the lawyers.

But, sadly, Orissa Government discriminated between the journalists and the lawyers in the constitution of their respective Welfare Funds. And, consequently, the Working Journalists Welfare Fund is lying defunct.

With the Trade Unions of journalists gone haywire under corporate conspiracies, in course of time, Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP), which is the latest evolution of media brotherhood beyond the boundaries of Trade Unions in Orissa, has been stressing upon activation of the State Fund for journalists through radical amendment of the Working Journalists Welfare Fund Rules to the extent of encompassing both the employed and self-employed media persons, while giving it a regular status of Law with a regular flow to its corpus from revenue of the media houses that fetch advertisements from Orissa, with matching Grants from the State.

But, the Government is not for the welfare of the journalists.

Within the last one year, the MUFP has organized funds for treatment of journalists hospitalized for metabolic diseases and for traumas caused by police atrocities, corporate assaults, attacks by exposed criminals and on-duty accidents.

Rajat Dash, Sub-Editor, Suryaprava; Jagannath Bastia, Puri Correspondent of The Samaja; Laxmidhar Mohapatra, Camera person of MBC TV; C.Ratnam, Paralakhemundi representative of EENADU are beneficiaries of MUFP contributions. Whereas its contributions, though of immense timely help to Pabitra Mohan Khuntia, Vidual Editor of STV and senior Journalist of OTV Pitabas Panda could not save their lives, MUFP derived utmost satisfaction from having organized life saving funds for Ansh, son of Kanak TV Vidual Editor Sudarshan Palai. Though the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund was invoked by MUFP presidium leader Prasanta Patnaik for Ansh to a limited extent, it was deeply felt that it could have been better if the State Fund for Working Journalists could have been functional with expanded scope and adequate provisions, in all the above cases. We have tried our best to educate the Government in this regard; but in vain.

Against this backdrop, even though NJWB is not nationally or officially recognized, its perseverance to fill up the gap, despite initial reservations in the world of Orissan media, seems to be an eye-opener endeavor to which media persons, adherent to journalistic norms, may not have any abhorrence.

Therefore, I decide to accept the offer as a symbol of my appreciation for attempts of our younger friends, who through their perseverance have shown the Government that the journalists by their own endeavor can promote welfare provisions for members of their fraternity.

One may hope that the NJWB action would wake up the Government to the occasion and make it conscious of its basic responsibility towards the sentinels of democracy.

Filed under: administration, Animadversion, Editorials, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

MUFP moves the DGP for protection of Bhuban Journalists from scheming Police

Posted on September 29, 2012 by orissamattersbbsr

Bhubaneswar, September 28, 2012: A delegation of the Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) comprising its Presidium members Prasanta Patnaik, Subhas Pattanayak and Sampad Mohapatra met the Director General of Police Mr. Prakash Mishra on September 28 in his camp office at Bhubaneswar and apprised him of how police power has been misused to intimidate the press as well as to gag freedom of expression by interfering with media responsibility to investigate into acts of illegalities that includes interviewing the suspected miscreants for news purpose at Bhuban in the district of Dhenkanal, where journalists have been implicated in cooked up cases as the inspector in charge had a grudge to settle against reporters who had exposed the nexus between the police and unsocial elements.

Mr. Mishra assured the delegates that the matter shall certainly be looked into and the press shall not be allowed to be gagged.

The MUFP delegation handed over a memorandum to DGP Mr Mishra which stated that the Police in Bhuban have implicated four local media persons in a false case as the local police had a grudge to settle with them, irritated as it was over publication of some news items exposing its misdeeds as well as certain miscreants going scot free, despite offenses even against public peace and tranquility. Reports in Odisha Bhaskar dated 19.8.2012, Samaya dated 30.08.2012 are samples of exposure on police misdeeds that explain as to why the police at Bhuban is prejudiced against the media persons.

It further said “the MUFP was informed that a large sum of money granted from MPLAD fund for renovation of a local playground has been misappropriated by a group of miscreants which the local Press had stumbled upon. And, to preempt media exposure, in an attempt to intimidate the media persons, the police have been used to implicate the journalists in the false case.

Against this backdrop, the NUFP urged upon the DGP to please ensure appropriate investigation into police misconduct exposed in news items published prior to registration of the FIR in the case in question as well as into the reasons of police haste in this particular matter and to ensure fair investigation by removing the IIC, who is allegedly personally involved with the offense.

Filed under: actionscript, administration, law and order, media, Media Unity, news, orissa, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Tear: The Most Powerful Disobedient Dear

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Now I know how powerful is tear.

The dear drop that lessens the burden of all unbearable loads of sorrow is so disobedient that it does not listen any command to stop.

And, in the drops of tear, as my inner self fails to know how not to be overwhelmed, the spectrums from the mobile phone of my dearest friend Prasanta Patnaik delivers me his sobs, as he too is unable to obstruct his tears on loss of a very precious life that he had tried his best to stand with.

Nirakar Puhan.

So smiling, so friendly, so young, so effervescent, so charming; yet so humble, so dutiful, and entirely so one with his responsibilities, the massive intricacies of visual editing!

What a loss, personally, fraternally, socially, motherlandly!

We media persons in Orissa are vulnerable to professional hazards, often beyond endurance.

On-duty accidents, on-duty attacks, on-duty acquisition of infections like brain malaria while working in high-risk terrains, on-duty inability to attend to clamant health issues et cetera play havoc upon our lives.

But, when the media house owners never care, and corporate-class-recalcitrance to necessities of health care of media persons in employment or in contract, is becoming more resolute and defined, the government is sitting idle and nonchalant.

The high cost, rather the uncontrolled cost of treatment is making the matter worse for the media persons, when the State is afraid of forcing the owners of media organizations to bear the cost of treatment of their scribes and cameramen but for whom their profit fetching machines could have never run, and but for whom democracy could have collapsed.

Media Unity for Freedom of Press, the united forum of media persons of Orissa beyond the boundaries of trade unions, has, since it inception, been trying to convince the authorities that there is urgent necessity of a live and functioning fund for taking care of the forth pillar in times of dire need.

The State is yet to wake up from its slumber. Had it not been so, Puhan might have not breathed his last so soon, in so young an age. He was only 28.

MUFP stands bereft of a very promising, active member.

Starting his career with Naxatra TV, he was gaining high esteem day by day, everyday, as visual editor of S.TV Samachar.

MUFP was trying its best to organize whatever support was possible on its part.

But, acute pancreatitis, the cause of 15% which is never known to medical science, but suspected in his case to be an after effect of a trauma he had in an accident on duty two years ago, became too obstinate to be tamed, and, the dear young man passed away within a fortnight of hospitalization, last night, leaving behind a recently married wife and the shock-struck paternal as well as maternal families and a large number of friends, admirers, colleagues and a fraternity that shall be missing him for ever.

Filed under: Health, Media Unity, news, Obituaries, orissa, Uncategorized | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Protests in Mumbai Over Assam Violence: BUJ Condemns Attack on Media

Posted on August 14, 2012 by orissamattersbbsr

Sampad Mohapatra
 
The Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists (BUJ) deplores the attack on the media on Saturday, August 11, 2012, during the violence that broke out in Mumbai by protestors of the riots in Assam. The BUJ is particularly disturbed at what appears to be the sustained targeting of media persons and technicians of outdoor broadcasting (OB) vans.
 
The protest over the killing of Muslims in Kokhrajar in Assam was called by the Mumbai-based Raza Academy and a few other organizations. Two persons died in the violence while several cars and shops were attacked and destroyed. More than 50 persons , including policemen, were also injured.
 
When the violence broke out, photojournalists were chased and those technicians in OB vans were told that they would be burnt along with the vehicle if they didn’t step out!
 
Among those seriously injured are Vivek Bendre (The Hindu),  Prashant Sawant (Sakal Times) and Atul Kamble (Mid-Day). They were admitted to St George Hospital for treatment. The equipment of several camerapersons was also damaged.
 
According to reports, speakers at the rally expressed ire at what they felt was the media’s poor coverage of the riots in Assam.  When the violence broke out, the rioters asked the identities of media persons and the media they represented before attacking them. This clearly indicates that the speeches may have incited the mob against the media and provoked the attack on the media.
 
The BUJ condemns the inability of the police to act speedily and bring the situation under control and calls the organizers to task for specially targeting the media in their speeches. The media plays a crucial role in disseminating information and any attempt to obstruct it is an attack on freedom of expression. Sections of society may have reservations about the media’s representation of their grievances but attacking the media is not the way to redress these. Dialogue and engagement with the media is crucial to preserving and protecting freedom of expression. 
 
The BUJ demands that the organizers immediately rein in their members and make amends for the violence they unleashed on the media. The BUJ demands that the state government investigate whether there was clear provocation for the attack on the media and whether there was dereliction of duty on the party of police forces.

Filed under: law and order, media, Media Unity, news, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Next Page »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 230 other followers