Ascertain bonafides of those claiming to be journalists:AIADMK

Opposition AIADMK today called upon the territorial government to exercise utmost vigil and ascertain the bona fides of those claiming to be "journalists or cameramen in Puducherry".
During debate on demands for grants to certain departments in the Assembly, AIADMK's deputy legislature party leader, A Anbalagan raised the issue pointing out that there was a whopping number of around 250 journalists and cameramen in Puducherry.
There were also complaints of intrusion of persons with bad record into the ranks of journalists.
He wondered whether there could be such a huge number of could be such a big number of journalists and lens men in the palm sized Union Territory, he asked.

"I have given a notice for an half an hour debate on the subject of persons with bad record posing themselves as journalists. This notice was yet to be taken up for debate in the House", he said.
The government's need to exercise vigil was necessary particularly when President Pranab Mukherjee was slated to visit Puducherry on September 26 to participate in a function in JIPMER, Anbalagan said.
Ruling AINRC legislator, P M L Kalyanasundaram said wrong and highly objectionable reports were appearing in newspapers against political leaders. The government should take steps to filter the list of reporters so that genuine scribes could function with full recognition, he said.

There was, however, no reply from the government.