Tags:
Journalism of Courage
In what is being seen as a coordination on the floor of the House,the Left and the BJP members on Thursday united in Rajya Sabha on five different issues,including the school collapse in Uttarakhand,Mamata Banerjees remarks on Maoists,and paid news.
First,CPMs Sitaram Yechury sought the Prime Ministers intervention on Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjees comments on the killing of Maoist leader Azad as he alleged her of openly collaborating with the Maoists and of constitutional impropriety. BJP members,led by Deputy Leader of Opposition S S Ahluwalia,supported him,as Trinamool members and ministers Saugata Roy,Dinesh Trivedi and Mukul Roy protested.
Brinda Karat also raised the issue of paid news and said the Press Council of India PCI is suppressing vital information. She said a PCI sub-committee has produced a 72-page report on the menace. But instead of making it public,efforts are on to remove the names of big media houses that indulge in cash for news. BJPs S S Ahluwalia said the unedited version of the report should be placed before Parliament.
Another point of unity was a mention by CPM MP Moinul Hassan on the deficit rainfall in eastern India. He sought governments intervention in ameliorating the plight of farmers,and was supported by BJP members. The mention by CPIs R C Singh on the recent school building collapse in Uttarakhand united Yechury and BJP members Kalraj Mishra and S S Ahluwalia.
