Kathmandu, December 26:

Constituent Assembly member Shalik Ram Jamakattel, head of the Maoists’ workers’ union, today, emphasised the necessity of the journalists to raise both the issues of press freedom and workers’ rights together.

He opined that the current protests by the journalists in the name of press freedom somewhat

seemed to benefit only the owners but not the workers.

Addressing an interaction organised by the Reporters’ Club here today, Jamakattel urged the management of Himalmedia to reinstate the 18 employees sacked recently by the company.

Jamakattel accused the Himalmedia of sacking 18 employees in a vindictive manner for joining

the Maoist affiliated union and supported the workers’ ongoing strike at the Biratnagar Branch of Kantipur Media.

He claimed his party union of having professionals involved in every media house, including weekly newspapers, threatening to hit the streets if the government failed to implement the Working Journalists’ Act.

Meanwhile, Govind Acharya, Vice President of the FNJ said, even though his organisation backed the workers for their genuine demands; they could not support their cause following the Himalmedia incident which violated the rule of law.

He said his organisation was having rounds of dialogue with the government and would continue their protest programmes until their demands were fulfilled.

Similarly Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat of the Nepali Congress accused the Maoists of targeting the press and the judiciary, the most effective organs of democracy, according to Mahat.

CPN-UML leader, Pradeep Gyawali, said violent attacks against press couldn’t be excused by any means.

“Whatever the reason might be, we can not tolerate the attacks by the Maoists on press freedom in any circumstance,” Gyawali said, “ As we all know we did not tolerate the King’s crackdown on press in the name of peace and tranquillity either.”

Sarbendra Nath Shukla of the Tarai Madhes Democratic Party said his party stood for press freedom and that remedies should be sought within the boundaries of the law.

Biswo Kant Mainali, president of the Nepal Bar Association said the attacks on the judiciary and press was an attack against democracy itself.

Ajay Bhadra Khanal, editor of The Himalayan Times, said any work place, including the media houses, should be free from all kinds of violence and emphasised the need to address the source of conflict. He also supported the implementation of the Working Journalists’ Act.

Bishnu Nisthuri, the ex-president of the Federation of Nepalis Journalists said neither the job of a journalist should be terminated without justification nor should anybody resort to violence

for the fulfillment of their demands .