Kolkata, Nov 09: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee today appealed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to help revoke the assembly's decision awarding 15 days simple imprisonment to six senior journalists of 'The Hindu' and 'Murasoli'. "I appeal to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to use her good offices so that the verdict of the Tamil Nadu assembly is revoked in the interest of democracy in India," Bhattacharjee said in a statement here.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly action against the journalists amounted to "gross abuse of legislative privilege", he said, adding "in a democracy the role of media should not be curbed." "Freedom of the press and dignity of the house needed to be protected by all governments and political parties," he said.

Bureau Report