Karnataka - Bangalore   

End harassment: Seetaram

Special Correspondent

Asks Editors Guild, other media bodies to intervene

Bangalore: B.V. Seetaram, chairman and editor-in-chief of the Mangalore-based Chitra Group of Publications, who was arrested twice along with his wife, Rohini, and subsequently freed on bail, has asked the Editors Guild of India and other media bodies to intervene and ensure that he and his organisation are not harassed.

In a letter to the guild, he narrated the events leading to his and his wife's arrest. The Chitra Group of Publications publishes three Kannada dailies — Karavali Ale, Sanje Ale and Kannada Janantaranga — and an English periodical, Canara Times. He said he and his wife were arrested by the police though neither of them was the editor, printer or publisher of the newspapers concerned.

Mr. Seetaram said two of his Kannada publications had published two articles relating to Jain monks on the theme "civility versus nudity." They were intended to trigger a debate, he argued.

According to Mr. Seetaram, Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police B. Dayanand, acting on the complaint of Rajavarma Ballal, made the first arrest. As soon as he and his wife were released on bail, the Shimoga district police arrested them.

The letter states, "We request editors and proprietors of media houses, and media organisations like the Editors Guild of India, the Indian Newspaper Society and the International Press Institute to take a hard look at the developments affecting the free and independent functioning of the media in the country... "

He requested media organisations to voice their concern against the attack. "We seek a judicial inquiry or a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the cases largely aimed at throttling the press. Action should also be initiated against the Dakshina Kannada Police Superintendent," the letter says.

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