Mumbai fast:Govt says NO to CBI probe,Journos say NO to food

Mumbai, Jun 15: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has not yet shown any sign to stoop to the demands made by the Mumbai media-persons over journalist Jyotirmoy Dey murder case. Citing the antipathy in the state government, reporters from all spheres started their relay hunger strike in Mumbai on Wednesday, Jun 15.

Prithviraj government, however, accepted to draft a new law to protect journalists but it failed to fulfill other demands of the agitators. The protesting media-persons asked for the resignation of home minister RR Patil and the chief of Mumbai police Arup Patnaik. The main demand was to hand over J Dey murder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CM of the state ruled out the protester's demand of initiating CBI probe in the murder case and urged people to provide a chance to the Mumbai police to solve out the fuss.

The journalists began their fast in in the compound of Marathi Patrakar Bhavan at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. "The Chief Minister (Prithviraj Chavan) refused to consider our demand for resignation of Home Minister RR Patil and suspension of city Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik. In view of this, the (PHVKS) has decided to continue the agitation by resorting to a relay hunger strike from today (Wednesday)," said Mumbai Press Club secretary Sunil Shivdasani.

J Dey was working with the tabloid MiD DAY as a chief reporter in the crime beat. Dey was assassinated by four unidentified assailants outside his Mumbai residence in Powai on Jun 11.

OneIndia News