Date:18/11/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/11/18/stories/2003111810291200.htm

National

Not much support for codification of privileges

By Arunkumar Bhatt

MUMBAI Nov. 17. Legislatures should codify their privileges and the bicameral Maharashtra Legislature should take the initiative, said Prakash Joshi, a senior journalist of The Times of India, at a seminar on "Inter-relations Between Legislature and Media,'' held today.

Speaking in the context of the action against journalists in Tamil Nadu, Mr. Joshi stressed the need for the code for neither reporters nor editors knew for sure what amounted to breach of privilege.

The issue of privileges originated from the need to protect people's representatives, the commoners, from harassment by the nobles and lords in the early days of the British Parliament.

But now all elected representatives in India were equal citizens and they never faced such a problem.

But Mr. Joshi did not find support from among the speakers, including the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Arun Gujarathi, the Chairman of the Legislative Council, N.S. Pharande, the Chief Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde, the Deputy Chief Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, the Leaders of the Opposition in the Assembly and the Council, Narayan Rane, and Nitin Gadkari, and the Editor of the Lokmat Group of Newspaper, Arun Tikekar.

While Dr. Tikekar was sceptical of the efficacy of such a code, Mr. Gujarathi felt that the freedom of the press that emanated from the fundamental rights of the citizens could be protected if all concerned remained within their limits and took care to see that things were not stretched too far.

Others praised the media and gave credit to them for the survival of the democracy in India against all odds but would not take any stand on the issue. They asked journalists to be judicious and cautious of the tremendous power their pen wielded and its impact on society.