November 7, 2011 2:10:42 am
Hitting back at the News Broadcasters Association (NBA),Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju has sought to know whether the organisation is willing to be placed under the Lokpal.
You seem to be reluctant to come under the Press Council of India. Are you also reluctant to come under the Lokpal? Katju has asked in a letter to NBA Secretary N K Singh.
You claim the right of self regulation. May I remind you that even Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts do not have that absolute right… Lawyers come under the Bar Council,and their licence can be suspended or cancelled for professional misconduct. Similarly doctors come under the Medical Council,chartered accountants under their Council,etc. Why then should you object to being placed under the Lokpal or some other regulatory authority? he has said.
By what logic do you claim to be exempt from being placed under the Lokpal? You claim the right of self regulation. By the same logic,politicians,bureaucrats,etc will also claim the right of self regulation. Or do you claim to be so doodh ka dhula that you should not be regulated by anyone else except yourself? What then was paid news,Radia tapes,etc? he has written.
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Stating that the impression created that he was in favour of harsh measures for every mistake by a media unit was a total misrepresentation,Katju has said that the democratic way of resolving such matters,and which I favour,is discussion,consultation and dialogue…. In my opinion,in 95 per cent cases of defaults by the media unit we can resolve the issue without using any harsh measure.
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