<p>The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday decided to summon the editor of Tarun Bharath, a Marathi daily published from Belgaum, for admonishment in the House on the grounds that he had published a series of baseless reports against two MLAs – Abhay Patil and S B Ghatge. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The House, which adopted a resolution, also proposed to the Press Council of India to derecognise the newspaper. Besides, it demanded that the paper’s editor, Kiran Thakur, tender a public apology to both the MLAs for defaming them. <br /><br />Abhay Patil, a BJP MLA from Belgaum South, had complained that the Marathi daily had been publishing baseless reports tarnishing his image for over the last three years . He had said the paper had published reports accusing him of grabbing land on the pretext of widening roads, and trying to demolish a Marathi school. He had alleged that the paper blamed him for creating tension between Kannadigas and Marathi-speaking people.<br /><br />Ghatge, a Congress MLA from Kuduchi of Raibagh taluk, Belgaum, had alleged that a report in the paper had accused him of swindling money from a school run by him. Both the MLAs had moved a privilege motion against the editor and the Speaker had referred the matter to a 10-member privilege committee headed Dr C N Ashwathnarayan. <br />Goolihatti Shekar, MLA (Ind), who was on the panel, told the House that the newspaper had breached the privilege of the members. <br /><br />Joining the discussion, a host of Congress, JD(S) and BJP members alleged that many small newspapers (non-mainstream) are into blackmailing elected representatives and honest officials by publishing baseless reports. Extortion has become a major business for journalists/owners, they alleged. <br /><br />K M Ashok (Cong) said television channels, in their quest for satire on politicians, were showing them in bad light. Shivalinge Gowda (JD-S) said that though freedom of press should be respected, the media should not be allowed to indulge in extortion. Some restrictions should be imposed on the media, he suggested. <br /><br />Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar who moved the resolution, said a “few black sheep” had brought a bad name to the entire media fraternity. <br /><br />He said that the electronic media, in its haste to outsmart its competitors, was prone to making mistakes.<br /></p>
<p>The Legislative Assembly on Tuesday decided to summon the editor of Tarun Bharath, a Marathi daily published from Belgaum, for admonishment in the House on the grounds that he had published a series of baseless reports against two MLAs – Abhay Patil and S B Ghatge. <br /><br /></p>.<p>The House, which adopted a resolution, also proposed to the Press Council of India to derecognise the newspaper. Besides, it demanded that the paper’s editor, Kiran Thakur, tender a public apology to both the MLAs for defaming them. <br /><br />Abhay Patil, a BJP MLA from Belgaum South, had complained that the Marathi daily had been publishing baseless reports tarnishing his image for over the last three years . He had said the paper had published reports accusing him of grabbing land on the pretext of widening roads, and trying to demolish a Marathi school. He had alleged that the paper blamed him for creating tension between Kannadigas and Marathi-speaking people.<br /><br />Ghatge, a Congress MLA from Kuduchi of Raibagh taluk, Belgaum, had alleged that a report in the paper had accused him of swindling money from a school run by him. Both the MLAs had moved a privilege motion against the editor and the Speaker had referred the matter to a 10-member privilege committee headed Dr C N Ashwathnarayan. <br />Goolihatti Shekar, MLA (Ind), who was on the panel, told the House that the newspaper had breached the privilege of the members. <br /><br />Joining the discussion, a host of Congress, JD(S) and BJP members alleged that many small newspapers (non-mainstream) are into blackmailing elected representatives and honest officials by publishing baseless reports. Extortion has become a major business for journalists/owners, they alleged. <br /><br />K M Ashok (Cong) said television channels, in their quest for satire on politicians, were showing them in bad light. Shivalinge Gowda (JD-S) said that though freedom of press should be respected, the media should not be allowed to indulge in extortion. Some restrictions should be imposed on the media, he suggested. <br /><br />Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar who moved the resolution, said a “few black sheep” had brought a bad name to the entire media fraternity. <br /><br />He said that the electronic media, in its haste to outsmart its competitors, was prone to making mistakes.<br /></p>
