Regulating media not our aim, says chief of joint House panel

A joint House committee headed by Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar, constituted to rein in the media, held its first meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday.

There were doubts whether the panel would function as the BJP members had decided not to be a part of the committee. A section of the Congress had also opposed the formation of the panel. Initially, Kumar himself had expressed his reluctance to head the committee.

Speaking after the meeting, Kumar said there is no intention to control or regulate the media. The committee will touch upon issues regarding freedom of expression as enshrined in the Constitution. It will discuss whether it is right to infringe upon an individual’s freedom in the name of media coverage.

In March this year, the Legislative Assembly Speaker K B Koliwad had constituted the committee to rein in what he called “irresponsible” and “arbitrary” media.  The committee will also dwell on individual freedom and the “mental torture” caused due to irresponsible reporting.  Media representatives and experts from various fields will be invited by the committee to its next meeting, Kumar added.

Koliwad, Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy, legislators Shivaraj Tangadagi, N A Haris, V S Ugrappa (all Congress), S R Mahesh (JD-S), B R Patil (KJP) attended the meeting. BJP members Raju Kage and B Suresh Gowda stayed away.

Questions have been raised whether the presiding officers of the two Houses -  Koliwad and Shankaramurthy -  could attend the meeting. Kumar said rules provided for the participation of presiding officers in the first meeting of House committees.