The Hindu : Media should be allowed to make healthy criticism: Laloo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 11, 2003

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Media should be allowed to make healthy criticism: Laloo

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR NOV. 10. The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Laloo Prasad Yadav, today said politicians should allow the media to make healthy criticism.

Condemning the Tamil Nadu Assembly order sentencing three Editors and two senior journalists of The Hindu and the Editor of Murasoli for breach of privilege, Mr. Yadav told a press conference here that he would telephone the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, and urge her to withdraw the order.

"The press has the right to criticise. Whoever goes against the press, I will go against them. It is the fourth pillar of democracy and I will keep fighting for press freedom. We politicians do not lose anything when the media criticises us. Those working with various newspapers and television organisations should be allowed enough freedom to do their job," he said. Politicians should never adopt a confrontationist attitude towards the media, he added.

`I will be queen-maker'

Mr. Yadav said he would campaign across the country to oust the BJP-led Government at the Centre and install a Government by the secular parties, including the RJD, the Congress, the CPI, the CPI(M) and the Samata Party.

The leaders of like-minded parties would choose the leader of the coalition that would emerge in the course of time. "Oust BJP and save the nation" will be his slogan, he said.

Asked who he thought should be leading the new coalition, the former Chief Minister said that from his side he had already decided on the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. "So far, I was a King-maker. Now, I will become a Queen-maker," Mr. Yadav said.

Criticising the Vajpayee Government for its "failure on all fronts", Mr. Yadav said that he would campaign against the BJP and its allies in the coming Assembly polls. Mr. Yadav, who is on a three-day visit to the State, alleged that the BJP had proved to be the greatest danger to the country.

"It was during the BJP-led Government's rule that cross-border terrorism had grown and Parliament House had been attacked."

Mr. Yadav, who was in Puri on Sunday to address a meeting of the Utkal Yadav Mahasabha, said that he had offered puja to Lord Jagannath there praying that the Lord help him and other leaders to usher in a secular government at the Centre.

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