'Norms' for mediamen sought from T.N. panel

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 17. In a controversial move, the Tamil Nadu Government has asked the Bhaktvatsalam Commission of Inquiry, set up to go into the violence during the DMK rally on August 12, to lay down ``norms and guidelines'' for mediapersons covering processions and demonstrations.

According to an official press release here, the terms of reference of the commission would include suggesting ``norms and guidelines to be followed by mediapersons who cover processions and demonstrations in order to ensure their safety, including the safe distance to be maintained by them, etc.''

Predictably, the terms of reference have baffled the media, for the dozen or more mediapersons injured during Sunday's rally were only in the ``safe hands'' of the police. Besides DMK men, it was mostly the police who specifically targeted the media personnel for capturing the riot scenes in their cameras.

However, instead of asking the commission to lay down norms for the police to handle the media, inexplicably the State Government has directed the panel to come up with guidelines to keep the journalists at a ``safe distance'' from the scene of action.

But officials insisted that the Government had ``no hidden agenda'' and that the terms of reference were only aimed at ensuring the safety of the media personnel. They pointed out that the commission would also inquire into the ``causes and circumstances that necessitated the use of force by the police during the rally and whether the force used by the police was minimum required and justified''.

The commission would also inquire into the ``causes and circumstances leading to the casualties and sustaining of injuries by the public, police personnel, media persons during the procession taken out by the DMK partymen at Chennai''.

Interestingly, the terms of reference made no mention of either the police firing on the procession or the death of six DMK men in the riots.

The Government has directed the commission to submit its recommendations within three months.

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