The Hindu : Front Page : Jayalalithaa withdraws defamation cases against media

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 19, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Jayalalithaa withdraws defamation cases against media

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 18. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today announced that she was withdrawing all the defamation cases brought by the Government against the media, including those against The Hindu .

She said the State Government would "move a Resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to drop all the proceedings against The Hindu and other newspapers in connection with the Privilege Issues which figured in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in November, 2003, in the hope that these newspapers will conduct themselves in a responsible manner respecting the prestige, dignity and the privilege of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly."

The Chief Minister said she was doing this in the "confidence and hope" that the media would ensure "unbiased reporting" while "upholding the best traditions of journalistic ethics."

The Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu , N. Ram, has welcomed these decisions.

In a statement today, he said: "I welcome, on behalf of The Hindu and the entire news media, the decision announced by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to order the immediate withdrawal of all the defamation cases filed by the Tamil Nadu Government against the press and the media, as well as the decision to move a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly to drop all privilege proceedings against The Hindu and other newspapers.

"I congratulate the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and her Government for doing the right thing at this juncture and look forward to the restoration of normal relations between the press and news media, on the one hand, and the State Government, on the other.

"On this occasion, I wish to congratulate the news media for standing up spiritedly for freedom of expression and thank all those who supported us, especially political parties who made our issue an important part of the recent election campaign."

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