Chorus: Amma, lay off

The Tamil Nadu Assembly’s decision ordering the arrest of editors and senior journalists of The Hindu and Murasoli for ‘‘brea...

The Tamil Nadu Assembly’s decision ordering the arrest of editors and senior journalists of The Hindu and Murasoli for ‘‘breach of privilege of the House’’ evoked widespread protest in the state.

At a meeting convened by the Madras Union of Journalists, Chennai Press Club, Journalists’ Action Group and Network of Women in Media (Chennai), it was decided the bodies would stage a one-day fast on Sunday from 8 am to 5 pm to condemn the legislature’s action.

	House action aired live on Jaya TV

			NEW DELHI: On Friday night, Jaya Television upstaged rivals by telecasting the TN Assembly proceedings that included liberal portions of Speaker Kalimuthu issuing arrest warrants against senior journalists. Says Sun News head Vijay Kumar: ‘‘Jaya TV has access to all footage recorded by Films Division which falls under the state’s Directorate of Information and PR Dept, unlike the rest.’’ Jaya TV officials say that as it was the last day of the House, they thought it fit to telecast the proceedings. (ENS).

The meeting also resolved that all journalists will court arrest if The Hindu journalists were arrested, and to boycott the Assembly sittings during the next session if the order banning The Hindu and Murasoli from covering the Assembly for 15 days was not revoked.

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Former RS MP and Tughlak editor Cho S. Ramasamy described the action of the Assembly as ‘‘political suicide’’. ‘‘I condemn this action in the most vehement manner possible,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, MLAs and MPs of several parties left for New Delhi, where they will meet the PM and Deputy PM to brief them on developments in the state.

DMK president M. Karunanidhi said there was nothing wrong in The Hindu editorial which had advised the rulers to exercise restraint and correct their mistakes. ‘‘You can lay your hands on anyone but if you do it on writers it will lead to the toppling of the government,’’ he said.

Meanwhile in Bangalore, a group of unidentified persons tonight stopped the car in which Ram was travelling and searched the vehicle. City Police Commissioner S. Mariswamy said four to five persons speaking Tamil stopped the car and searched for ‘‘someone’’.

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After they came to know only Ram and Murali were in the car, they ran away, he said adding they did not cause any harm to the occupants. The Commissioner said it was not sure whether they belonged to Tamil Nadu Police.



			PM concerned over Assembly verdict NEW DELHI: Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee has expressed concern over the ‘‘incident’’ in Chennai on Friday night, particularly the type of action being taken against journalists. This was conveyed to editor-in-chief of The Hindu N. Ram, who had telephoned Vajpayee to apprise him of the ‘‘developments’’, sources said. TN move threat to democracy: Sonia NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday hoped that matter of the Tamil Nadu Assembly seeking the arrest of senior journalists of The Hindu is ‘‘resolved amicably and expeditiously’’. ‘‘I am extremely concerned and disturbed at the attempt being made to curb the press freedom in Tamil Nadu… Such high-handed action by the state legislature is a threat to our democracy,’’ she said. Advani pained over TN House decision NEW DELHI: Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani on Saturday said he is ‘‘pained’’ over Tamil Nadu Assembly’s decision. He said such a development pains one and you feel upset. Left parties slam arrest of scribes NEW DELHI: The Left parties on Saturday demanded that the TN Speaker’s decision to imprison six senior journalists in Chennai be revoked. Togadia joins the chorus SAMBALPUR: VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia on Saturday said freedom of the press was a must for democracy to survive. Freedom of the press had to be protected as otherwise democracy would crumble. If there is no press freedom, people will face oppression. (ENS & Agencies)

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