INS slams Katju for 'deep bias'

It criticised Justice Katju for his “sweeping remarks” against the media, saying that by giving his “poor opinion” about the media, the former Chief Justice of India had demonstrated a “deep bias” against the members of the Fourth Estate.

“The INS apprehends that such bias will adversely affect the functioning of the council especially in its quasi-judicial role as a media watch dog,” its general-secretary V Shankaran said in a statement.

INS president Ashish Bagga said that Justice Katju had not only undermined his own position with his sweeping remarks on the functioning of media but had made the position of the council, which has several members from the Press, untenable.

“Justice Katju has sought more powers for the council, including those of suspending licenses of newspapers, of imposing fines and of withholding government advertisements. Such powers would militate the primary objective of the council, which is to preserve the freedom of the Press,” Bagga said.