New Delhi: Leading media organisations, veteran journalists and political parties tonight (Nov 7) denounced Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker K Kalimuthu's order to arrest six senior journalists of 'The Hindu' newspaper, including its top two editors, in a breach of privilege case as a "direct assault" on the freedom of the press and right of free speech.

Taking a "serious view" of the "undemocratic" action by the Speaker against the newspaper's journalists, the Editors Guild of India said it "directly hits the freedom of the press and goes against the democratic spirit we all swear by".

In a statement, guild president Hari Jaisingh and secretary general Alok Mehta said, "The press is a major pillar of Indian democracy. It has freedom to express itself freely and fearlessly in public interest. This is what democracy is all about. This stern action is undemocratic and is therefore uncalled for."

"The Editors Guild of India takes a serious view of the development in Tamil Nadu and hopes that the Speaker and all concerned authorities will rethink the whole issue and drop action against the editor and other mediapersons," the guild said.

'Hindustan Times' editorial director Shobhana Bhartia said the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker's decision against 'The Hindu' appeared to be a "deliberate attempt" to subvert the fundamental right of speech.

"By trying to gag one of India's most reputed news organisations, the establishment in Tamil Nadu has not for the first time bared its totalitarian tendencies," she said and called upon saner elements among those who rule the state to have the order revoked.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M Karunanidhi termed the sentences awarded to journalists by Tamil Nadu Assembly as a "funeral" of democracy in the state.

"Even a combination of acts of Czar, Hitler, Mussolini, Rasputin and Goebbles could not equal with the acts of Tamil Nadu Government," he said.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S Ramadoss said the decisions of the Tamil Nadu Assembly had created an "everlasting black mark" on Parliamentary democracy.

Sentencing six journalists on a single day by any Assembly was "unheard of" in history, he said, adding that it was against freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram said the action against the journalists by Tamil Nadu Speaker "is a black day for democracy and freedom of the press".

PTI