Marathi daily editor reprimanded for breach of privilege

As 'Tarun Bharat' editor Kiran Dhondopant Thakur stood in the make-shift dock on being summoned by the assembly, Speaker K G Bopaiah read out the resolution reprimanding him in the rare such instance in Karnataka's legislative history.

"I am sorry," Thakur said but contended the two MLAs - Abhay Patil of BJP and S B Ghatage of Congress - have blown the matter out of proportion.

"This step was unwarranted and uncalled for," Thakur said as he was reprimanded following a unanimous resolution adopted by the Assembly last week after discussing the report of a privileges committee which went into the complaints against the newspaper editor by the two MLAs and found him guilty.

Patil had alleged that the daily had been carrying "baseless" reports against him for the past three years, while Ghatage had charged it with publishing a "baseless" report against him in the newspaper dated November 30, 2010.

Their privilege notice was referred to the privileges committee by the Speaker on May 16 this year.

The Assembly had also decided to recommend to the Press Council of India to derecognise the daily.

Thakur had a translator at his side but was allowed to speak in English by the Speaker.

Stating that he sincerely felt that "this clash" between the legislature and freedom of press is unnecessary, Thakur said he has high respect for the House and its members.

"My newspaper has never published any material to undermine the dignity and supremacy of this House," he said. (MORE)