Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Journalists protest attack by advocates, seek action

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore Dec. 5. It was a day of protest by journalists in Bangalore who are shaken and angry over the attack on some members of their fraternity by a group of advocates on the High Court premises on Tuesday. A large number of mediapersons marched in protest and petitioned the Governor and the Chief Minister, demanding protection and action against the guilty advocates.

The journalists rejected the apology tendered by the President of the Advocates' Association of Bangalore, K.N. Subba Reddy, here on Wednesday.

The journalists, who have formed a joint action committee, protested in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi before marching to the Raj Bhavan to present a memorandum to the Governor T.N. Chaturvedi. From the Raj Bhavan they marched to the Chief Minister's home office "Krishna".

The action committee consists of members of the Press Club of Bangalore, the Bangalore Reporters' Guild, and the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists.

The memorandum said that there was no reason for the advocates to assault the journalists. It was the Advocates' Association which had given publicity to its decision to hold an emergency meeting of its general body to discuss an issue concerning the judiciary which has hit the headlines in newspapers and on radio and television. The journalists gathered on the High Court premises to ascertain the outcome of the meeting. The meeting turned stormy and was adjourned abruptly. While coming out of the venue, some of the advocates attacked the journalists and abused them.

The committee also noted that during the recent Cauvery waters agitation, some journalists were assaulted by the police in Mandya. The Government failed to take action despite protests.

In a statement, meanwhile, Mr. Subba Reddy disowned the resolution adopted by the advocates who stayed back in the meeting hall after he declared the meeting adjourned. "The resolution, alleged to have been passed at the said meeting, has no sanctity as the proceedings had been validly adjourned by me after consulting the General Secretary," Mr. Subba Reddy said.

Mr. Subba Reddy, who is a BJP MLA, said relations between the association and the press were cordial. He was shocked by the incident which had been reported.

"I own moral responsibility for the hurt caused and sincerely offer my apologies to every representative of the press who was present at the meeting venue." The incident should be treated as an aberration, he added.

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