NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee on Thursday rejected a privilege motion against the writer and editor of a newspaper that had published an article criticising him, but chose to express his strong condemnation and stressed the need for reasonable restrictions' on of the freedom of the press.
"In view of the condemnation on the floor of the House and as it will be beneath the dignity of this great institution to take further note of the motivated imputations in the impugned article, I do not give my consent as requested and treat this matter as closed,'' Chatterjee informed the Lok Sabha.
The article in question, entitled Speaker asks for trouble', written by Swapan Dasgupta, was published in The Pioneer'. A number of Lok Sabha members had given privilege notices against the author, the editor and the printer of the newspaper on the grounds that it was a calculated attempt to defame the House and the high office of the Speaker.
The notices were given by Ramjilal Suman of the Samajwadi Party, M P Veerendra Kumar of the Janata Dal (S), and Rashtriya Janata Dal members D P Yadav, Sitaram Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav, Ganesh Prasad Singh and Raghunath Jha.
Adding a note of caution, the Speaker noted that "in the future reckless and contumacious conduct indulged in by whosoever may be dealt with in the appropriate manner, so as to preserve and enhance the dignity of the highest public forum in our country."
The article deliberately accused the Speaker of partiality and reflected on his character and actions, which amounted to a "gross breach of privilege of the Speaker and the House" Chatterjee said.
"Freedom of the press, a cherished fundamental right in our country, is subject to reasonable restrictions, as contemplated by the Constitution itself, and cannot and does not comprise deliberately tendentious and motivated attacks on the great institutions of this republic and their officers and functionaries,'' he added.
"The freedom of press does not contemplate making reckless allegations, devoid of truth and lacking in bona fides. In the name of exercising the freedom of the press, there cannot be a trial by the press, in which it plays the role of both accuses and judge," Speaker said.
