Journalists take out protest march; demand CJI-monitored probe

Stepping up pressure, journalists today staged a protest march demanding a Chief Justice of India-monitored judicial probe into the March 2 violence in the city civil court complex where mediapersons and police personnel were attacked by lawyers.

Journalists also demanded a CBI probe in case the incident could be probed outside the judicial purview. ".. please refer the case to CJI and seek an advice whether such inquiry could be conducted with direct supervision of CJI," a memorandum submitted to High Court Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen said.

They also said in case the issue has to be probed within the state government's purview, government could order a high-level bureaucratic probe by CID or Lokayukta.

Journalists further demanded that in case the judicial probe by the retired High Court judge is the only way out, then the appointed judge should not have served in any of Karnataka courts as judge. The state government has announced a judicial probe into the incident.

A large number of journalists from various districts marched from Press Club to Mahatma Gandhi statue on M G Road, shouting slogans against the government's "inaction" and carrying banners demanding justice.

Heads of both the print and electronic media addressed the gathering and called for a secure environment for journalists to discharge their responsibilities.

TV9 and News9 Managing Director Mahendra Mishra said "Journalists have been threatened
...their cameras vandalised. We need to stand up, wake up to fight against Banana Republic- type situation."

Kannada news channel 'Janashri' Head Anant Chinivar asked the advocates to disown guilty lawyers to defuse the situation so that journalists and lawyers work unitedly.

Meanwhile, a six-member delegation of advocates led by Bangalore Advocates Association President K N Subba Reddy also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

Reddy said the advocates' grievance was not against the media but police which had allegedly barged into the court without prior permission of the Principal District and Sessions Judge.

He also said advocates alone could not be held responsible as hundreds of persons, including mining baron and former minister G Janardhan Reddy's supporters, had gathered during his appearance in a CBI court in connection with an illegal mining case when the violence broke out.

Reddy requested Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to call a meeting of advocates and scribes for reconciliation.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Mangalore, Gowda appealed to the media and advocates to end their stir and sort out differences.

A local court today granted conditional bail to four advocates arrested in connection with the violence.

The advocates, A P Ranganath, who is the General Secretary of the Advocates Association of Bangalore, Somesh, Arun Nayak and Santhosh were granted conditional bail by the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Churi Khan.

Journalists also threatened to resort to 'jail bharo' agitation across the state if the government arrested anyone from their fraternity, Kannada news channel Samaya representative Shivuprasad warned.

Meanwhile,lawyers in Belgaum disrupted the protest staged by journalists demanding more action against guilty lawyers.

The lawyers burnt newspapers in protest.