Press Council sending team to TN

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 20. A five-member fact-finding committee, set up by the Press Council of India to look into the complaints of intimidation and attack on mediapersons and threats of closure of TV channels in Tamil Nadu, will visit Chennai from August 31.

In a statement here, the Press Council has called upon the press fraternity in Tamil Nadu, particularly the affected journalists, to appear before the Committee at the Chepauk State Guest House, Chennai, and adduce written or oral evidence in support of their claims. ``The Government and police authorities are also to be present before the Committee with specific instructions to produce those officials against whom allegations of intimidation and assault have been levelled by the journalists,'' it said.

The complaints were received by the Press Council from the Sun TV, the Working News Cameramen's Association, the Delhi Union of Journalists and the Tamil Nadu Journalists Union, Chennai, alleging intimidation, attacks on mediapersons, threats of closure of certain TV channels in the wake of the arrest of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, and the Union Ministers, Mr. Murasoli Maran and Mr. T.R. Baalu, all senior leaders of the DMK, during June 30-July 1, 2001.

The council, at its meeting earlier this month, had expressed deep concern over the incidents which, it felt, prima facie amounted to stifling and undermining the freedom of the press in Tamil Nadu and set up the fact-finding committee. The committee comprises Mr. Hari Jai Singh, Convener of the team and Editor of The Tribune, Mr. R. Venkataraman of The Telegraph, Mr. Pratapbhai T. Shah, Mr. Indrajit Mohanty and Mr. Vijay Darda of the Lokmat. It will make an on-the-spot inquiry into the alleged incidents.

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Section  : National
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