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Abuse of power, says Speaker

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI NOV. 9. The Kerala Assembly Speaker, Vakkom B. Purushothaman, has described as ``abuse of power'' the Tamil Nadu Speaker's order sentencing The Hindu's top editorial executives to two weeks in jail. Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, he said the House certainly had powers and privileges, but they should not be abused. ``It is quite unfortunate... It should not have happened.''

He felt that the Speaker should not have taken this step. ``The House should not have gone to this extent.'' Mr. Purushothaman said he would raise this issue at the conference of Speakers to be held in Patna on February 2.

Our Kollam Staff Reporter writes:

Inaugurating the legal services day celebration organised by the District Legal Services Authority here today, Mr. Purushothaman said that the action taken by the Tamil Nadu Assembly would only serve to diminish the confidence of the people in the Legislature. Such developments would also lower the prestige of the House, he said. The Speaker said that he was saddened by the incidents that took place in Chennai on Friday and wanted the Legislature and the Judiciary to complement each other.

`Violation of civil rights'

Our Kozhikode Staff Reporter writes:

A meeting organised by the People Against Globalisation and Left Views at the NGO Hall here on Saturday condemned the action of the Tamil Nadu Legislature Assembly against the Editor and senior journalists of The Hindu and the search at its office in Chennai.

The Vice-Chancellor of the Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University, Dr. K.N. Panikkar, told the meeting that this was ``a violation of civil rights''.

The meeting also passed a resolution condemning the incident.

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