16 July 2020: Welcoming the arrest of owner of Afkar daily Pyare Miyan, accused of raping four minor girls and running a sex racket in Madhya Pradesh, the Indian Journalists Union demanded strictest action be taken against him as other than his heinous crimes he had sullied the profession of journalism. Further, the Union demanded the SIT investigate the matter thoroughly in the backdrop of rumours he had a ‘quid pro quo relationship with those in power’.

11 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union is deeply dismayed over J&K administration extending the restrictions on internet speed (4G) till 29th July and the Union Home Ministry’s non-compliance of Supreme Court orders to constitute a ‘Special Committee’ to review these restrictions. At the same time, the IJU hopes the apex court would list a contempt petition filed against non-compliance of its orders at its earliest convenience.

New Delhi, 10 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union welcomes the Delhi High Court order vacating its 2017 interim order banning publication of any allegations or complaints of sexual harassment made against venture capitalist Mahesh Murthy, who is managing partner of a firm Seedfirm and Managing Director of a digital brand management firm Pinstorm, The case related to accounts of alleged harassment by Murthy, “almost all during professional interactions”, as reported by FactorDaily, during 2003 to 2016.

8 July 2020: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has expressed serious concern over a police complaint by Lawsohtun village council against The Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim on Monday for a social media post. The village council filed the complaint against Mukhim, alleging that her comments on Facebook about the attack on six non-tribal youths in Lawsohtun village last week could incite communal tension.

30 June, 2020: The Indian Journalists Union strongly condemns the assault on journalist Hofe Dada of digital media outlet ‘Gyoloo News’ in Arunachal Pradesh, on Monday by four men at the premises of a factory of SMS Smelters Ltd, in Lekhi Village, threatening him not to report. Dada filed a complaint with the Nirjuli police station and the IJU demands that the culprits be brought to book immediately.  

28 June, 2020: The Indian Journalists Union expresses profound concern over government’s latest attempt to rein in the media, this time the biggest news agency PTI through the so-called ‘autonomous’ public service broadcaster Prasar Bharti. It is learnt that the Prasar Bharti has written to PTI saying that its conduct has made it “no longer tenable’ to patronise the news agency, after it quoted the Chinese Ambassador in India on the ongoing India-China stand-off.

June 27, 2020: Adapting to changing times by holding its first virtual National Executive Committee meeting, the Indian Journalist Union took into detailed account the dismal situation in the media sector since the pandemic broke out. It decided to appeal to the Government to look into stimulus packages that various European governments have announced for their media and initiate a similar one for the media in the country, as it had done for various other sectors.   

19 June, 2020: Standing in solidarity with Scroll.in Executive Editor Supriya Sharma, the Indian Journalists Union is both shocked and anguished at the registration of First Information Report (FIR) against her by the Uttar Pradesh police over her reportage on effects of lockdown in Prime Minister Modi’s constituency. Scroll.in has stood by the article. The IJU views the FIR as yet another blatant misuse of law to intimidate and silence journalists, and in this case a recipient of prestigious Chameli Devi Jain award for Outstanding Woman Journalist as well as Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism award.

12 June, 2020: The Indian Journalists Union expresses grave profound concern over J&K administration’s new media policy announced early June as it gives it powers to decide what is ‘fake’, ‘unethical’ or ‘anti-national’ news, which could be subjective and a means to silence criticism. Worse, it gives the administration to take legal action against the journalist or media organisation concerned, including ‘stopping government advertisements,’ which could be used as a handle to make the media comply to its whims and fancies.

June 09, 2020 : The Indian Journalists Union expresses profound concern over continuing harassment of journalists through filing of FIRs, be it senior journalist and TV anchor Vinod Dua in Delhi or Uttar Pradesh Fathepur district’s Vivek Mishra and Ajay Bhadauria. Though all three are booked recently under now familiar sections of the IPC for alleged ‘fake news’,

22 May 2020: The Indian Journalists Union condemns the ‘sacking’ of a woman journalist by “Prag News” TV channel based in Guwahati, on grounds of her being pregnant and that according to its management wouldn’t be ‘agile’ to report. The sacking not only amounts ton clear gender discrimination but it violates the maternity Benefit Act, said the IJU and demanded that she be reinstated.