Kozhikode, Nov 08: Terming as "totally unjustified" Tamil Nadu Assembly's order sentencing six journalists to 15 days simple imprisonment, Indian Newspaper Society president M P Veerendrakumar today called for a concerted fight by all democratic forces against the action. "Tamil Nadu Assembly's decision to jail the editor, executive editor, publisher and two senior journalists of The Hindu and the editor of Tamil daily Murasoli in the breach of privilege issue is shocking since the press, as one of the pillars of democracy, has every right to scrutinise and comment on the performance of an elected Chief Minister and the proceedings of a state assembly", Veerendrakumar, who is also the PTI chairman, said in a statement here.
To initiate action against the top executives of an esteemed daily like The Hindu only because the paper made certain observations against Jayalalithaa and the assembly Speaker in its editorial was "unwarranted", he said, adding such actions could not be justified in any manner in a democratic set-up.
Not only was the action an attack on the very base of democracy but also smacked of fascism, Veerendrakumar added.
Bureau Report