Saturday, April 30 2005 19:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) today (Apr 30, 2005) vehemently opposed allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the media sector saying not only would it undermine national sovereignty, but also make media a mouthpiece of Multi-national Corporations (MNCs).

At its Foundation Day function in New Delhi DUJ leaders reminded that the Policy Resolution of 1955 barring the entry of foreign investment in the media held good even today and any change was unwarranted in the liberalising euphoria.

However, the government has already allowed 26 per cent FDI in the print media.

Globalisation has resulted in lakhs of people losing their jobs in the garb of structural changes, they said and pointed out that job security has been hit hard.

The meeting adopted the May Day declaration which among other things demanded constitution of wage board, amendment to Working Journalists Act to bring in its purview all journalists working in print, electronic or web media.

The speakers included Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) president M K Pandhe, parliamentarians Chittabrata Majumdar, N K Premachandran and P Madhu besides Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) National secretary D Raja.