Date:08/11/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/11/08/stories/2003110809211100.htm

National

Journalists condemn T.N. Assembly action

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 7. Various journalist unions and eminent mediapersons today condemned the action taken by the Tamil Nadu Assembly against the Editor, the Executive Editor, and the publisher of The Hindu and the Tamil daily, Murasoli, in a breach of privilege issue, stating that it was against the spirit of democracy and directly affected the freedom of the press.

In a joint statement, the president of the Editors Guild of India, Hari Jaisingh, and its secretary general, Alok Mehta, said the press was a major pillar of Indian democracy and it had the freedom to express itself freely and fearlessly in the public interest.

"This is what democracy is all about. We expect the Tamil Nadu Government authorities and legislators of the Assembly to be more tolerant and take press criticism in good faith.''

Terming the action "undemocratic'' and "uncalled for," the Guild hoped that the Speaker and all the authorities concerned would re-think the whole issue and drop the action against the Editor and other mediapersons.

The veteran journalist and columnist, Kuldip Nayar, condemned the 15-day imprisonment order issued by the Tamil Nadu Assembly terming it "a big attack on the freedom of the press."

In this case, the Speaker should have called the Editor and talked to him, Mr. Nayar said, adding at best he should have admonished him. "I do not know how far such kind of punishment should be used. We are in a democracy where the Constitution protects the right of expression.''

The Chairman of the Press Council of India, Justice K. Jayachandra Reddy, said the legislature was the supreme body in the country and the facts of the case must be studied in detail before any condemnation was issued. "The law has to take its own course,'' he said.

The Delhi Journalists Association and the National Union of Journalists also condemned the action taken by the Tamil Nadu Speaker.

Terming it undemocratic, they said the Vidhan Sabha should rescind the decision, otherwise they would be constrained to launch an agitation.

PTI reports from New Delhi:

The Hindustan Times Editorial Director, Shobhana Bhartia, today called upon saner elements among those who rule the State to have the order revoked.

In a statement, Ms. Bhartia said ``we at The Hindustan Times condemn this blatant act of repression. We express our solidarity with our colleagues at The Hindu and call upon saner elements among those who rule Tamil Nadu to have the order revoked."