Fact finding team to visit Bihar to examine press freedom in state

NEW DELHI: A three-member Fact Finding Team headed by Rajeev Ranjan Nag has been set up by the Press Council of India to investigate complaints by journalists in Bihar who told Council Chairman Justice Markandey Katju that they were facing difficulties in discharging their duties.

During a recent visit to Bihar, the Chairman had been told that journalists fear harassment and losing their job as authorities put pressure on the proprietors to do so.

Parliament was informed by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua today that the team would visit Patna and main district headquarters in the first four days of next month.

Justice Katju had last month stated that he had heard the Press is under pressure and had announced he would be sending a fact finding team to inquire about the status of media?s freedom.

Interestingly, an RTI activist was told by the government that Rs 280 million was spent by the government in media advertisements while it was much less than during Lalu Prasad led RJD government.

The Council had set up a similar fact finding commission which visited Bihar in the mid-eighties, and came back with the view that there was a mafia with the media in Bihar that did not let the other media persons go about their work.