KATHMANDU: Following the attack by police personnel on journalists in Janakpur, scribes today said they have only one option now -- people's support for their security.

"We have no option but to seek public support to save ourselves as the state has started attacking us," said Dharmendra Jha, president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ). Jha was speaking after a half-an-hour sit-in protest in front of the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, this afternoon.

Last Saturday, police personnel following a directive from the Superintendent of Police Shyam Khadka had beaten up 13 journalists leaving two of them critically injured in Janakpur. The scribes were covering clashes between locals and policemen over an alleged rape case.

Addressing an interaction organised by Janasanchar Abhiyan today, FNJ vice-president Govinda Acharya said the government has no moral ground to cling to power.

"FNJ will not accept the so-called probe committee formed by the government," he said, adding that the culprits should be severely punished for trying to murder journalists.

Vice-president of Press Chautari Nepal (PCN) Rajendra Aryal said he was feeling "ashamed" at the activities of the UML-led government following the Janakpur incident. He urged the government to arrest the guilty police personnel as "everyone knows who all were involved in the incident."

"PCN has decided to take part in a protest organised by the FNJ," he said. Chairman of Revolutionary Journalists' Association Maheswor Dahal said the government cannot do anything. A probe committee has been formed to hoodwink the public, he said, adding that the government cannot implement a report even if the committee comes up with one.

"The media should come up with a common front for the security of journalists," he said.

Chairman of Press Council Nepal Narayan Sharma said the incidents against journos were the result of the government's failure to democratise security forces.

Vice-president of Madhesi Journalists' Society (MJS) Sunil Ranjan Singh said FNJ was ignoring such a big incident where over a dozen journalists were brutally attacked by the police. He said the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Communications Minister, who were responsible for the incident, should resign. He also said the state-formed committee will not be acceptable.

Meanwhile Revolutionary Journalists' Association, Press Union, Press Chautari, Madheshi Journalists' Society and Broadcasting Association of Nepal in a joint press release said they will be compelled to go for stern protest programmes if attacks on them continue.

Dr Bhattarai condemns attack

KATHMANDU: Vice-chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist Dr Baburam Bhattarai has condemned the attack on over a dozen journalists by the police force in Janakpur on March 21. "Our party is seriously concerned about the planned attack on journalists by the police," he said in a statement. He added that this was the first biggest incident after the latest people's movement in which a large number of journalists have been targeted. "This reminds us the tyranny of the royal regime," he said. Such attacks by the government on journalists, who have been seeking security from the state, have proved that the government has completely failed to provide security to journalists and the general people, he said. "Our party warns the government authorities concerned to take moral responsibility of the consorted and planned attack on the journalists," Dr Bhattarai said.