murali772 - 13 March, 2012 | Bangalore | Media | Transparency | Media Reports | Others | Everything else | freedom of speech

The Press Council of India (PCI) has objected to the Karnataka speaker’s decision to initiate proceedings against mediapersons for exposing Porngate, in which two BJP ministers allegedly viewed porn clips on the mobile phone of a colleague inside the assembly. - - -  In a letter to speaker KG Bopaiah, PCI chairman Justice Markandey Katju has urged him to withdraw the proceedings. - - - - Katju wrote: “Instead of commending mediapersons for exposing MLAs watching porn in the assembly, proceedings have been started against them by constituting an inquiry committee. Such proceedings will only jeopardize the freedom of the press..., and seek to create an impression that it is the media which brought the House into disrepute rather than the ministers.” - - - - He also took objection to questions raised by the inquiry panel, saying it seemed to be treating journalists like accused persons. The committee should rather focus on probing the sordid affair. - - - “The media is an agency of the people to give them information. I do not see what wrong the media has done by telecasting the watching of porn by the MLAs in the House.”

For the full report in the ToI, click here.

Well said, Justice Katju. Can't have put it better.

On the other hand, the Speaker, K G Bopiah, seems to have a penchant for figuring in the news repeatedly and for all the wrong reasons.

Muralidhar Rao

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