The media persons of Bhubaneswar created a history to express their solidarity for the cause of freedom of Press today by boycotted the Orissa Assembly in protest against apathy of the State Government towards their demand to stop rising attacks on the media in Orissa.
Not a single media person covered the question hour of the House and even Orissa Television which telecasts the live proceedings of the House switched off the cameras to express solidarity with the Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) which had given the boycott call on Thursday during its demonstration before the Assembly in an attempt to wake up the Naveen Patnaik Government which is ignoring repeated demands of MUFP to punish the assaulters and ensure safety and security of the working media persons in the State.
The media persons did not enter to the Press Gallery of the State Assembly and squatted before the entrance to the gallery silently .
Mr. Bhupinder Singh, Leader of Opposition came near the squatting spot and extended the support of the Opposition to the cause of the media persons in the State.
Prasanta Patnaik, on behalf of the MUFP congratulated all media persons for taking such a historical step to express solidarity for the cause of the media and freedom of press which is in danger as the State Government and its police were acting against the interest of the media persons. The MUFP also expressed gratitude to the Editors, Media Houses and TV channels for supporting the cause of media unity for freedom of press.