New Delhi: Media should be kept out of the
purview of the proposed Lokpal, The Editors Guild of India
told a Parliamentary Committee today, which is scrutinising
the measure.
Representatives of the Guild led by its President T N
Ninan appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Law and Justice and Personnel here and said since media was a
"private body" it should not be brought under the ambit of
the anti-corruption watchdog.
Besides Ninan, who is the Chairman and Editorial Director
of Business Standard, Coomi Kapoor of the Indian Express and
Suresh Bafna of `Nai Duniya`, also deposed before the panel.
Several MPs, including those in the Committee, have been
demanding bringing media and NGOs under the ambit of the
proposed ombudsman.
Some members are understood to have told the Guild
representatives that there were no suggestions to bring the
"news content" under Lokpal but the "business content" as
media houses also buy assets likes land for their
infrastructure.
Guild representatives said since media was a private body
and not a public body, it should be kept out.
Committee Chairman Abhishek Singhvi is understood to have
said that the Guild members have stated their views "clearly
and provocatively".
Besides the Editors Guild, as many as 21 other
organisations and individuals were invited today to appear
before the committee to state their views on the Lokpal issue.
PTI
