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Youth organisations protest against T.N. Speaker's action

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA Nov. 11. Various youth organisations belonging to both the United Democratic Front and the Left Democratic Front jointly organised a march and a dharna before the Gandhi statue in the town here today in protest against the sentencing of six journalists of The Hindu and Murasoli by the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Inaugurating the dharna, Salim. P. Chacko, State secretary of the Revolutionary Youth Front, alleged that the T.N. Speaker's decision was nothing short of a "mockery of the privileges of the Legislature'' in a democratic set-up.

Mr. Chacko said that it was high time the Centre intervened in the matter and took urgent and strong measures to check the T.N. Government's "repeated attempts to gag the press'', which was considered as the Fourth Estate in a democracy.

The Youth Congres district president, A. Sureshkumar, said that the "misuse'' of power by the T.N. Speaker should not be taken in a lighter vein. He said it was the duty of the Union Government to protect the Constitutional right to freedom of the press.

The Kerala Congress (secular) district secretary, Sabu Olickal, the Youth Congress mandalam president, Anil Mannil, the Congress block vice-president, P.K. Gopi, the Kerala Youth Front(S) State secretary, Sunil Pallickal, and the RYF district president, Johns Yohannan were among those who addressed the dharna. In a statement here today, the Pathanamthitta Press Club also condemned the T.N. Speaker's decision.

The press club president, C. Harikumar, inaugurated the meet.

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