The bandh organised by Bijapur Patrakar Sangh protesting the murder of senior journalist Sai Reddy on Saturday was total.
After cremation of Reddy’s mortal remains, all the journalists of the division have decided to hold protest demonstration at Basaguda on December 14 and at divisional headquarters Jagdalpur on December 15 against the incident. Besides, one-day protest demonstration will be organised in all the seven districts of Bastar.
On Saturday, all the journalists of the division, holding a condolence meeting at the local Bastar district Patrakar Sangh office, condemned the Naxals in strong words. They kept two minutes silence and prayed for peace of the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss.
In the condolence meeting, chairman of the Sangh S Karimuddin demanded from the Government to give compensation to the Reddy’s family and Government job to one members of the family for their sustenance. He said the Govern-ment should give risk allowance and security to the journalists. After formation of the new Government, a delegation of journalists would reach the capital and make the Government aware of their feelings.
Protesting the incident, shops in Bijapur district headquarters observed a total bandh on Saturday. Reddy’s body was cremated in the afternoon. A great multitude of politicians and journalists of the city attended the funeral procession.
Chhattisgarh Shramjivi Patrakar Sangh State president Arvind Awasthi, general secretary Pravir Kumar Upadhyay, lN Mudaliyar, State president of Chhattisgarh Working Journalists’ Union Narayan Sharma, State general secretary of Patrakar Kalyan Parishad KK Vasudevan and all the office-bearers of Bastar division, condemned the gruesome murder of senior and dedicated journalist Sai Reddy and said that the Naxalites have done an inhuman act in Basaguda. The Naxalites had killed Sukma journalist Nemichand Jain in February 2012 and then rendered a public apology.
Office bearers of the Sangh have appealed to the journalists to unite against the Maoists and sound the bugle against the Naxals with the power of their pen. They asked them to boycott all the news of Naxalites and protest them tooth and nail. The Sangh demanded from Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh to give Rs 10 lakh financial assistance to the slain journalist as compensation and Government job to one of his kin.