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Patna,(BiharTimes): The Chairman of the Press Council of India, Justice (Retired) Markanda Katju, on Friday dropped a bombshell in Patna on Friday. He did so in the presence of the Governor of Bihar, Devanand Konwar, Vice Chancellor of Patna University, Shambunath Singh, academics and students. |
He said that there might have been better law and order situation now then in the past but there was freedom of speech and writing during Lalu Prasad’s regime. Media was more free but today in the present regime it is not like that.
Speaking at Wheeler Senate Hall of Patna University he said “what I’ve heard is that media is not free”.
Making a scathing attack on the present regime Katju said that what he has come to know is that if you’d write against the present regime in Bihar today “either you will be sacked or transferred somewhere else”.
“You can not write freely in the present regime”, commented the PCI chairman.
He explained further that he had gathered all these information after coming here and “will get it verified”.
Katju was invited in a seminar organized by Journalism department of Patna University in which he was invited as the chief guest. The topic of the seminar was “Four Pillars of Democracy: Judiciary, Executive, Legislative and Media.”
He said that no one, even the government, can violate the Fundamental Rights of the Constitution.
The comments of PCI chairman, , did not go down well with the principal of the Patna College Lal Keshwar Prasad Singh, who incidentally is the husband of Janata Dal (United) MLA, Usha Singh. He started shouting at Katju. This caused a pandemonium and Lal Keshwar was compelled to leave the Hall in a huff.
Katju was repeatedly applauded by those present at the venue.
Later the academics and students strongly criticized the conduct of the Principal of one of the most prestigious colleges of the state.
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