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| Media is under my control, asserts Speaker | | Scribes boycott proceedings in LA, stage dharna, ask to withdraw statement - - Ministers' plea to Speaker: Media trial going on….take strong notice | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 27: Media representing various national, international and local organizations today and boycotted the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly in protest against Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone's ruling that the "Media was under his control and the scribes cannot write and report the way they want things to be highlighted" . The entire journalists fraternity including the scribes from Kashmir staged dharna outside the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly complex , taking serious note of the move ,which they felt was onslaught on freedom of Press and amounted to gagging of media. They demanded that Speaker should withdraw the statement as to media has to work under their control.
It was in the middle of the proceedings in the House , Speaker's 'direction' came to the Press , in which emphasis was in asking the members to 'behave' and follow the rules of reporting strictly. However, what irked the media gallery was the comment by the Speaker who upon some points made first by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and later by PDP's Nizamdin Bhat, asserted that "Media is and have to work under his control'.
"They cannot publish whatever they want to publish……they are not supposed to take anybody for granted……..", Speaker observed . Nizamdin Bhat's contention was that " media had some privileges ….they cannot disclose their sources nor can media be forced to do that…". He further suggested that the matter with regard to reservation expressed by ministers could be taken up separately with Press Council of India. Speaker responding to this comment vehemently said "NO". "I want to give a formal ruling in this regard……
The Speaker's ruling, which was seen as a move to gag the freedom of press came in the wake of the reservations expressed by some ministers in the morning about the stories published in the local papers against them and government in general. Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma raised the issue of a story carried by a local newspaper against him and his department. When he expressed some objection over the content of the news, he was joined and supported by PHE Minister Taj Mohi-u-Din who observed that appears that "media trial was going on against the ministers..". Law Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar too joined the sentiment expressed by them contending that Speaker must take serious note of what was being published by the newspapers. Sagar also contended that media people should disclose the 'sources' if they write anything against anyone. Sham Sharma urged the Speaker that he should seek explanation from the concerned newspaper.
Taking serious note of the Speaker's remarks, mediamen walked out of the press gallery and boycotted the proceedings. They demanded that Lone's statement be expunged from proceedings. Contending that freedom of press cannot be undermined by the Speaker, the media persons said if the government and Speaker were concerned about what they have termed as 'undesired' reporting by media, they could move the Press Council of India , rather than enforcing their 'directions'. In the meanwhile, PDP led by Mehbooba Mufti too staged walkout in protest against Speaker's remarks and in order to express solidarity with media fraternity for the cause of freedom of Press. The media persons later decided to boycott the proceedings till Speaker would withdraw his remarks. |
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