Advani calls for shifting of Kanchi seer's case

Advani calls for shifting of Kanchi seer's case

Friday, January 14, 2005 (New Delhi):

BJP President L K Advani has called for Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati's case to be shifted out of Tamil Nadu.

Advani was speaking on his arrival in Nagpur to attend the second day of the RSS Chintan baithak.

Media under scanner

Meanwhile, the role of the media in covering this entire story is also coming under scrutiny.

Especially after tapes of the Shankaracharya's custodial interrogation was leaked to sections of the media.

The NHRC has sent a notice to the state government, asking for a report on how the tape was leaked.

Anti-Shankaracharya move

The clips were meant to show to the world that the Tamil Nadu police had a strong case against the seer. A day later, the motives of those who leaked it, are being questioned.

"It is only the police, who have a copy of the video and they have given it to the TV channels, to create an anti-Sankaracharya opinion in the minds of the people," said Cho Ramaswamy, editor, Tughlak.

It was presented before the people and not the courts because they have perhaps come to realise that they do not have material which has evidentiary value in court," added Ramaswamy.

Field day

Ever since the sensational arrest of Jayendra Saraswati on November 11, vernacular and other publications in Tamil Nadu have had a field day.

In their bid to satisfy and vet public curiosity, it seems the dividing line between fact and fiction was forgotten. Media observers say anything and everything that could hold public interest, including sleaze, found its way into the murder investigation reports.

"All sorts of allegations were made and attached to the mutt in such a way that it sickened me," said TSV Hari, editor, Kaamakoti.

Aiding probe?

Some senior journalists, however, say the parallel investigation done by vernacular papers may have in fact helped the police investigation.

"I think in a case like this, you cannot blame the messenger. There will be excesses. The Tamil press in fact has contributed important facts to the case which nobody had," held N Ram, editor, The Hindu.

The media is well within its jurisdiction to inform the public and dwell on the questions and issued raised by the dramatic developments. But it has to play the role of a balanced observer and commentator.

What the self-professed watchdog needs to watch out for is when it is getting used as a tool by vested interests and when it starts interfering with the process of law and justice.

from ndtv.com