PCI Public Hearing Today Against KCR's Remarks

A 3-member committee of the Press Council of India will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday against the alleged anti-media statements of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The PCI Committee, consisting of Rajeev Ranjan Nag (Convener), Krishna Prasad and K Amarnath, is visiting Hyderabad on September 16th and 17th.

The Chairman of the Press Council of India (PCI) in an order issued on 12th September appointed the committee to enquire into:

1. Whether the CM of Telangana made the statements attributed to him that he would break the necks of and bury underground media persons, and that they should salute the Telangana people if they wished to live in Telangana, and whether this violated Articles 19 (1) (a), (e) and (g) of the Constitution,

2. Whether there was any threat perception to the media in Telangana and its free functioning,

3. What steps were necessary for the protection of the media in Telangana in discharging its duties to the public

Article 19 (1) guarantees to all citizens the right to

(a) freedom of speech and expression
(e) reside and settle in any part of the territory of India
(g) practice any profession, or carry on any occupation, trade or business.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Committee's Convener said that the public hearing would be held at Samagamam Hall, The Plaza Hotel, beside the CM's Camp Office, Begumpet, Hyderabad, from 3pm on Tuesday.

He requested senior journalists, editors, representatives of journalists' organizations and anybody concerned about the issue to attend the hearing, and give evidence for or their perceptions over the points mentioned above as relevant.

He said that the Committee had sought appointments with the Chief Secretary, the Director General of Police and the Chief Minister of Telangana to elicit their views on the points of reference made to it.

Rajeev Rajan Nag said the Committee would also go to Warangal on Wednesday to find out whether the reported statements attributed to the Chief Minister of Telangana were true. (INN)