By IANS,
Mumbai : In a bid to stop attacks on journalists in Maharashtra and evolve a code of conduct for the media, the state government will soon take a decision on setting up a press council modelled on the lines of the Press Council of India.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh stated this here Monday while chairing the first meeting of a committee set up to examine ways and means of stopping attacks on mediapersons.
Deshmukh also said that the government appointed committee would soon suggest measures to prevent attacks on mediapersons and their offices.
In the past fortnight, the Mumbai media’s vulnerability to attacks from different quarters became a matter of serous concern. There have been attacks on the homes of senior journalist, Lokasatta editor Kumar Ketkar in Mumbai, and the offices of the Shiv Sena party organ, Saamna, in Pune.
Deshmukh said that while the government was committed to the freedom of the media in the state, the media professionals should not misuse this liberty.
Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil suggested that if media professionals apprehended any controversy to erupt from their writings, they should alert the police who will take preventive measures to ward off attacks.
Apart from Deshmukh and Patil, present at the meeting were ministers Rajendra Shingre, Siddhram Mhetre, state chief secretary Johny Joseph, additional chief secretary-home Chitkala Zutshi, director-general of information and public relations Manisha Mhaiskar, Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Gafoor and several media persons.