Speaker forms house committee to check media 'permissiveness'

Bengaluru: The Karnataka LegislativeAssembly Speaker announced that a House committee would be formed soon to restrict “permissiveness” of the media, which came in the line of fire from members of all parties. 

Working of the media, especially the visual, came under intense scrutiny of legislators during the debate initiated by senior member B R Patil of the Karnataka Janatha Paksha.

Cutting across party lines, the members who took part in the discussion said the media was telecasting reports that are derogatory in nature and tarnishing the image of legislators. 

They also raised their concerns by narrating personal “bitter” incidents with the media. 

Accusing media of working with “permissiveness”, the members called for restrictions on it. 

A member used objectionable words against media persons, which was expunged by the Speaker K B Koliwad. 

Speaking at the end of the over four hour long debate, Koliwad said it was the collective opinion of the House to form a committee. 

“Legislature has a long arm. It has powers. Itis a collective opinion of this House that a House committee should be formed. We will give it 15 days time. Once it submits its report, based on the recommendations, we will decide whether any law is to be amended or a new law should be brought in so that the media functions within its limits,” he said. 

Even as the Speaker was making his remarks, Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy suggested that legal aspects be looked into before forming the House Committee and deciding its terms of reference. 

He said freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right and that members should see to it that they do not do anything that is against the Constitution. 

Several MLAs, mostly from Congress, joined by Ministers M B Patil, Vinay Kulkarni and Ramesh Jarkiholi objected to it, following which Rayareddy said he was only making a suggestion and would leave it to the wisdom of the House. 

Clarifying, Koliwad said the House committee would also function within the ambit of the Constitution. 

“We are aware of freedom of speech and press freedom, but it should not be freedom of permissiveness. With an intention to contain this permissiveness we are forming a House committee. Terms and references for the committee and its form will be decided shortly,” he added.

Earlier, initiating the discussion,B R Patil alleged that the visual media was unnecessarily indulging in character assassination of politicians without any facts or truth behind their reports. 

Calling it an attempt to portray them in bad light before the public, he said some reports were so personal that “it spoils peace in one’s family.” 

“It has now become a matter of prestige of the house and its members,” he added. 

Stressing on the need for restrictions on the media for the sake of quality, K S Puttannaiah (Ind) said “please don’t indulge in character assassination.” 

“Loose language is used very often. They call Yeddyurappa (BJP state President) as Yeddy, Siddaramaiah (Chief Minister) as Siddu. Who gave them this right?” he asked. 

Suresh Gowda (BJP) who recently was in the limelight for expressing anger against workers at a toll both near Tumkuru, said the visual media don’t seek response before publishing any news nor clarify when they get to know the truth. 

He said “words like goonda and rowdy are used casually. They even use it against public representatives. They have called me rowdy Suresh Gowda.” 

Bharamagouda alias Raju Kage (BJP), who was a co-accused in a case of assault and is out on bail now, said he was jailed only due to ‘pressure’ by the media, despite having no direct connection with the case. 

“I only did not commit suicide,” he said emotionally. 

Narendra Swamy (Congress) faulted the media for instigation, glorifying gory images and spreading superstition with astrology programmes, while former Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi (Congress) accused it of working only for TRP. 

Noting that visual media journalists are not “qualified enough,” JD(S) MLA Sa Ra Mahesh said media personnel should be made to at least contest Panchayat elections to understand the public representatives. 

Ashok Pattan suggested that TV media be banned from the assembly and only Doordarshan be allowed, another Congress member N A Haris said TV media does not come under the ambit of Press Council of India, while suggesting that Press Council of Karnataka should be formed.