Police case against Tamil TV channel condemned
Chennai, June 10: Political parties on Sunday condemned a case registered by the Tamil Nadu Police against a TV channel, one of its employees and a movie director in connection with a debate held in Coimbatore.
MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said the case was an attack on the freedom of the press.
The Puthiathalaimurai channel recorded the debate on Friday based on the topic whether the protests in Tamil Nadu were for the people's rights or for political reasons.
Leaders of various political parties participated in the debate.
A group of people started shouting when movie director Ameer started to speak. Attempts to pacify the sloganeers were in vain and the programme was cut short.
The police registered the case after receiving a complaint from the hall owners.
The CPI's Tamil Nadu Secretary R.Mutharasan demanded that the state government withdraw the cases.
Condemning the police action, the Madras Reporters Guild in a statement termed the case frivolous and unwarranted.
"The case tantamounts to curbing not only freedom of the press but also freedom of speech and expression which is guaranteed under the Constitution," the statement said.
"Opinions expressed by various politicians and political parties during such current affairs programmes are not those of the channel. Diverse opinions are expressed during such programmes, and the channels are in no way responsible for the statements and views of such political parties and politicians," it added.
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Ramdas Athawale backs Fadnavis as Maharashtra CM; says Shinde can shift to Centre
New Delhi, Nov 26: RPI(A) leader Ramdas Athawale, a key BJP ally, on Tuesday called for a quick decision on the next chief minister of Maharashtra and suggested that incumbent Eknath Shinde should shift to the Centre as a Union minister.
Addressing a press conference here, Athawale also backed senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis as the next chief minister of Maharashtra, contending that the saffron party won the maximum number of seats in the 288-member Assembly and should have the right to the top executive post in the state.
He said a peculiar situation has arisen in Maharashtra where BJP leaders want Fadnavis as the chief minister, while Shiv Sena leaders want Shinde to continue in the post, citing the good work he has done over the last two and a half years.
Athawale, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, said NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has declared that he was not in the race for the chief minister.
"We need to resolve this matter, without any further delay. The election results were announced on November 23 and we should have had the oath of the new chief minister on November 26, the Constitution Day," Athawale said.
Backing Fadnavis for the post of chief minister, Athawale said Shinde can become the deputy chief minister or shift to the Centre and join the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Athawale said his RPI(A) has a presence in every part of the state, but unfortunately lost the two seats -- Dharavi and Kalina -- offered to it in the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections.
He demanded that an RPI member be made an MLC and a minister in the state government.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won a landslide victory in the Maharashtra Assembly elections winning 235 seats in the 288-member House. The BJP won 132 seats, followed by Shinde-led Shiv Sena (57) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP (41). Smaller parties, who are part of the alliance, won five seats.
