New Delhi: Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should restrain from making provocative statements against journalists and support outfits that seek to limit information flow to the people, a three-member panel set up by the Press Council of India to look into threats to the media in the new state has concluded.
The committee was also of the view that Mr Rao has violated the letter and spirit of Article 19 (1)(a)(e) and (g) which pertain to freedom of speech and expression, freedom to reside and settle in any part of India and practise any profession by making provocative statement against media.
Recalling a statement by Mr Rao that he would break the necks and bury media persons and that they should salute the Telangana people if they wish to live in Telangana, the panel recommended that PCI and the Union government should im-press upon Mr Rao that “blatant threats to the media and media personnel violates the oath of office he took to protect and defend the Constitution of India and follow the rule of law.”
The committee comprising journalists Ra-jeev Ranjan Nag, K. Amarnath and Krishna Prasad was constituted by PCI chairperson Justice (retd) Markandey Katju to probe threats to the media in Telangana after certain remarks reportedly made by Mr Rao were brought to the Council's notice.
“The Chief Minister of Telangana should be directed to restrain himself from making provocative statements against journalists or in saluting and supporting organisations which seek to limit the flow of information to the people, on the basis of nativity or domicile status,” the panel recommended in its report.
The report of the committee was placed before the Press Council on Monday and adopted, sources said. The panel sought that all cases registered against journalists for participating in protest actions should be withdrawn or fast tracked.
The committee has also recommended that the state government should immediately ta-ke steps to enable MSOs to withdraw the-ir blackout of channels TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothy in the interest of freedom of media and people’s right to know, as enshrined in the Constitution.
