By IANS,
New Delhi : Ashish Bagga, president of The Indian Newspaper Society (INS), has denounced the indefinite strike by newspaper agents set to start in Kerala Tuesday as an assault on media freedom.
“The indefinite strike is a jolt to the freedom of the press and the liberty of the reader to read newspaper of one’s choice,” Bagga said in a statement here.
“Hence, INS appeals to the public of Kerala to understand the clandestine motives of those behind the strike and support the newspapers in their attempt to uphold the freedom of the press.
“INS also appeals to all the agents to ignore the strike call and to distribute the newspapers without fear or favour.”
Bagga said that while most agents did not favour the strike, a minority was threatening them. “They are also threatening the hawkers, and vehicle owners as well as workers involved in transportation of newspapers.”
He said although trade discounts offered by all Malayalam newspapers were identical, “they have excluded some political party newspapers from the strike, thereby exposing (their) political motives”.