Over 100 persons, mostly from the journalist fraternity and from other sections of society, here on Tuesday gave evidence at a hearing of the three-member committee of the Press Council of India (PCI) constituted to look into the alleged controversial remarks against the media by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, at Warangal recently.
The committee was appointed by the PCI Chairman, Justice (Retd.) Markandey Katju, recently to enquire if Mr. Rao had indeed made the statements attributed to him and whether this violated Article 19 (1) and other provisions of the Constitution. The committee was also asked to ascertain if apprehensions in the fourth estate, of pressure on freedom of speech and expression
Hearing at Warangal todayThe committee comprising convenor Rajeev Ranjan Nag and members Krishna Prasad and K. Amarnath is on a two-day visit to the State to ascertain if Mr. Rao said at Warangal recently that he would break the ‘necks’ of mediapersons and ‘bury them deep under the ground’.
Mr. Rajeev Ranjan Nag said that those who came to the hearing had expressed the feeling that there was indeed pressure on the electronic media, particularly, amounting to a threat to freedom of expression, including blocking of television channel signals. They were told that as Chief Minister, Mr. Rao could have used different means to express his displeasure and intolerance.
Senior journalist and leader of the Indian Journalists Union K. Srinivas Reddy said that people had a lot of expectations from Mr. Rao and reminded that he had spoken as Chief Minister and not as just another political leader.
The committee will conduct another hearing at Warangal on Wednesday, after which Mr. Nag said they would submit their report to the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
