The Hindu : Speaker refuses permission for discussion on POTA

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Speaker refuses permission for discussion on POTA

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry April 17. The DMK legislators, led by R.V. Janakiraman, today staged a walkout in the Pondicherry Assembly during zero hour.

As soon as the question hour was over, the legislators drew the attention of the Speaker, M.D.R. Ramachandran, to the boycott of proceedings by media persons as a mark of protest against the arrest of R.R. Gopal, the Editor of Tamil weekly Nakkheeran. They insisted that the House adopted a resolution to draw the attention of the Centre to the situation prevailing in Tamil Nadu and the arrest of the journalist.

Mr. Janakiraman, the Opposition leader, told newsmen later that the protest was also to insist that the Centre repealed the Prevention of Terrorism Act as it had been `misused' in Tamil Nadu. The Speaker kept telling the members that he would permit them to have a discussion, and said the media had no grouse against the Government. The Speaker also expressed displeasure over media persons not calling on him although they met the Chief Minister earlier to apprise him of their proposed protest.

At one stage an AIADMK MLA, amid the din, said the arrest of Mr. Gopal was for certain serious activities.

Former chief minister, V.Vaithililingam (Congress) was heard telling the Opposition that his party, at the time of enactment of POTA, made it clear that the act was bound to be misused and that it should not be enforced.

The Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, said as far his Government was concerned there was a cordial relation with the media. With the Speaker refusing permission to the DMK for a discussion on POTA, the party legislators walked out with some of them raising slogans against the Tamil Nadu Government.

The whole press team boycotted the hour-long question and answer session. They also held a demonstration outside the Assembly before the session commenced, wearing black badges. The president of the journalists association, Veeraraghavan, alleged that POTA had been misused by the Tamil Nadu Government and appealed to the Centre to intervene and ensure that the press freedom was protected.

The reporters have planned to meet the Lt. Governor tomorrow.

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