Despite 300 journalists marching from CST to Mantralaya to demand a CBI inquiry into Dey's murder and an ordinance to protect mediapersons, all they got were some empty reassurances

SILENCE speaks louder than words, and that was exactly the tool employed by 300-odd journalists, who marched from the Marathi Patrakar Sangh office near CST to Mantralaya to register their protest against the killing of MiD DAY's Editor (Investigation) J Dey.


Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan addresses the protesters promising them the government will take concrete action against the culprits. PIC/NIMESH DAVE

The journalists, who came from across the spectrum as a testament to Dey's stature and the respect he commanded within the community, tied black kerchiefs over their mouths before embarking on the march. But, their gesture left the government unmoved.

In a pre-march meeting at the Sangh office, the journalists drafted a memorandum of their demands, which included a CBI inquiry into the cold-blooded murder and an ordinance ensuring the safety of mediapersons. A two-minute silence was also observed in Dey's memory.

The march began at 12.15 pm, with the journalists carrying placards and photographs ofu00a0 Dey and moving towards Mantralaya in absolute silence. They were forced to speak up, however, when Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan refused to meet them and hear them out despite waiting at Mantralaya for over 40 minutes.

The CM did finally show up after some sloganeering to give some seemingly empty reassurances and a delegation went into his office to get him to agree to take concrete action.
u00a0
They came back only to say that he had refused a CBI inquiry and had asked for some time for the tabling of the Bill for the protection of journalists.

Fast threat
This did not go down well with the journalists, many of whom wanted to continue the protest indefinitely in Mantralaya itself.

It was eventually decided, however, that the government would be given two days to bring the culprits to book and act on the bill, failing which the journalists would embark on a chain hunger strike from June 15.

Protests in Mumbai...

ACP transferred
In a late night development, ACP Anil Mahabole, who was in charge of the Azad Maidan division, was transferred to the local arms unit following the journalists' protest. It may be recalled that Home Minister R R Patil had set up a high-level inquiry panel to find out if Mahabole had a personal vendetta against MiD DAY reporter Tarakant Dwivedi, who was charged under the Official Secrets Act last month. Mahabole, who has no jurisdiction under the GRP, had entered Dwivedi's lock-up in the GRP police station and threatened him.
He was also accused of "possibly interfering in and influencing" the investigation.
J Dey had backed Dwivedi and had played a prominent role in gathering evidence and securing bail for him.

... In Thane
Coming together: (Left) Journalists from all over the city marched from the Marathi Patrakar Sangh's office near CST to Mantralaya to register their protest against the killing of J Dey. (Above) Journalists from Thane also marched to the office of the Collector for the same cause. PICS/SAMEER MARKANDE AND SAYED SAMEER ABEDI