Katju targets Bihar govt on media issues

Press Council of India Chairman Justice Markandey Katju said on Friday that a three-member PCI team would be sent to Bihar soon for an investigation into harassment of media in the state by Bihar government.

"We heard rumours that the media in the state would be harassed if it wrote against the government.  It was a violation of the Constitution. A three-member PCI team would be sent to Bihar soon for an investigation," he said at a function.

Katju said, "I was told that there is no press freedom in Bihar under the Nitish Kumar-led government.

"I heard that there is improvement in law and order in Bihar under Nitish Kumar compared with erstwhile Chief Minister Lalu Prasad but there is no press freedom," Katju said.

He said that mediapersons are under pressure not to write any thing that goes against the interest of the state government.

Katju added that under Lalu's rule, at least there was freedom of press. At a time when Katju was making this remarks, no one other than the Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, who is the principal of Patna College opposed him.

Though Singh was joined by some students who criticised  Katju for his remarks. But the majority of students supported Katju.