Udupi: Ombudsman Proposal is a Closed Chapter - Home Minister
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 12: "As far as I am concerned, the proposal to set up a media ombudsman is a closed chapter," said home minister Dr V S Acharya, adding that a healthy debate had taken place on the issue in the last four days since he mooted this proposal.
Speaking to the mediamen, Acharya stressed, that he reposes total trust on free press, independent judiciary in addition to clean and efficient administration, the principles that were close to the heart of the late Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. He recollected that he had fought for these causes during emergency too. "I just placed the proposal received from a number of citizens, before the people. Ombudsman does not mean banning or regulating the media. Healthy debate has taken place and the issue is closed for now, at least as far as I am concerned," he added.
To a specific question as to whether he has differences of opinion with the chief minister(CM) on the issue in the light of the opposition expressed by the CM to the proposal, Acharya replied in the negative. He thought, that it is good if such debates take place on importance issues, as decisions can be taken only as an outcome of detailed discussions. "Not only this, but even in other issues there are no differences of opinion among the state cabinet colleagues," he replied. When asked about the possibility of the issue being discussed in the cabinet meeting, he said he will not raise the matter, but if any one of the members takes up the issue, a discussion might take place.