A Jharkhand Journalists Association delegation has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Secretary demanding implementation of the Journalist Protection Act in Jharkhand on the lines of the State of Chhattisgarh. A five-member delegation led by JJA working president Amarkant met Jharkhand Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh at the Ministry of Jharkhand on Tuesday in connection.

It has been said through the memorandum that the fourth pillar of democracy is completely unsafe without Constitutional protection. According to the report tabled in the Lok Sabha recently, journalists in the country are most insecure in Hindi speaking states. In Jharkhand too, a large number of murders and false cases have been registered against journalists in the last 5 years regarding news compilation. Last week, the Chhattisgarh government implemented the Journalist Protection Act to provide Constitutional protection to journalists in the State of Chhattisgarh. On behalf of all the journalists of Jharkhand, the Jharkhand Journalist Association, through the demand letter, demanded the implementation of the Journalist Protection Act in Jharkhand on the lines of Chhattisgarh state.

In the course of conversation with the Chief Secretary, BSPS National General Secretary Shahnawaz Hassan also discussed the implementation of the Digital Media Act in Jharkhand. Hassan said that today the code of conduct of journalism is being completely ignored in the name of digital media, to curb which a committee should be formed at the state and district level. He said that 5 senior journalists including District Justice, District Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police should be included in the committee at the district level on the lines of Chhattisgarh state.

JJA vice-president Sunil Badal said that journalism has been defined in the Working Journalist Act as well as rules have been made by the Central government for digital media, both the law can be better complied with by the journalist and the officers nominated by the government. The delegation of today's Jharkhand Journalist Association included Shahnawaz Hasan, Amarkant, Sunil Badal, Niloy Sen and Akash Soni.