Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 23:

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) today staged a sit-in at the New Baneshwor chowk to protest against the government move of gagging the private media. Leaders of political parties and human rights activists also expressed their solidarity with the journalists, who have been warning the government against making amendments in media laws and demanding that government advertisements be provided to them without restrictions. FNJ president Bishnu Nisthuri accused the government of preparing an advertisement policy under which the Department of Information will provide government advertisements to “selective newspapers loyal to the establishment”. Addressing a press meet Minister of Information and Communications, Tanka Dhakal, had said that a committee headed by him will channelise all the government advertisements and that the newspapers upholding the crown and the nation will get priority.