Bangalore: Rejecting the judicial probe into
the attack on journalists, private TV news channels on Saturday
sought immediate arrest of the lawyers involved in assaulting
mediapersons and policemen in court premises.
"We don`t accept judicial probe into the incident. This
is nothing but an eyewash. The government is trying to evade
from its responsibilities," Suvarna News Head Vishweshwar
Bhatt told reporters following a meeting with Karnataka Chief
Minister D V Sadananda Gowda at his residence.
Bhatt complained that inspite of video footage available
in public domain, both police and government have failed to
take action and arrest lawyers who had attacked mediapersons
and policemen.
"We requested the Chief Minister to take immediate action
against the guilty lawyers and bring them to book," he said.
Seeking police protection for mediapersons including
cameramen and scribes at court premises, Bhatt said the Chief
Minister has given an affirmative assurance in this regard.
TV9 Managing Director Mahendra Mishra said Gowda promised
strict action against the culprits. "We hope it happens on
ground."
Mishra said the media hoped and believed that the problem
would be rectified "completely and permanently". "That is why
we are here (to meet the Chief Minister)," he said.
Rejecting media apprehensions over judicial probe, Gowda
said the probe is not an attempt to cover up lapses of police
and government, but to come out with a permanent solution to
avoid such incidents taking place at court premises.
He also said police have been instructed to take stern
action and file criminal charges against the culprits without
further delay.
Anant Srinivas from `Janashri Vahini`, Shivuprasad from
`Samaya`, Manoj from `Kasturi News` and Arun Kumar from
`Public TV` were part of the delegation.
At least 20 mediapersons and police personnel were
injured when they were attacked by unruly lawyers who went on
the rampage in the court complex premises yesterday.
Meanwhile, Bangalore Reporters Guild and print and
electronic media took out a rally here and submitted a
memorandum to Governor H R Bhardwaj seeking immediate arrest
of the lawyers who attacked mediapersons and policemen.
Protesting mediapersons also expressed reservations over
the judicial probe ordered into the incident, saying it was
nothing but an "eyewash" to evade responsibility.
The mediapersons rapped both government and police for
failing to arrest the guilty inspite of video footage showing
lawyers going on the rampage and attacking journalists and
policemen at the court premise.
"It is hard to understand why police have made no arrests
so far," they said.
PTI
