K. Srinivas Reddy, who held the post of secretary-general of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) for five consecutive terms, condemned reports that he had been removed.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said the executive meeting of the IJU held at Chandigarh was “null and void” since the secretary-general alone was empowered to call such a meeting. Moreover, any action against even a primary member of the Union could only be taken at a meeting of the national council.
Hence the announcement of union president Suresh Akhouri that he had been removed would not stand to legal scrutiny.
The ‘disaffiliation' of the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists and Tamil Nadu Union of Journalists was also ‘illegal and unconstitutional.'
Mr. Reddy said he convened a meeting of the national executive of the IJU in New Delhi on March 5 and 6, at which the president's actions were discussed threadbare by 19 members of the executive from 15 State unions.
The meeting decided to issue show-cause to Mr. Akhouri and IJU secretary Madan Singh.
