NCP-RR at odds over bill to protect journos

Party's state unit chief Madhukar Pichad counters the passing of the legislation despite fellow party member, Home Minister RR Patil, strongly supporting it

It appears there is a rift within the Nationalist Congress Party as the state's chief Madhukar Pichad does not support the bill to protect journalists that is backed strongly by Home Minister and fellow party member RR Patil.


J Dey was shot dead in broad daylight at Powai

According to a source, after receiving much flak from the media after the murder of MiD DAY Investogations Editor J Dey, Home Minister Patil was supporting the enactment of the bill to protect scribes, only to be opposed from colleagues from the cabinet sub-committee at a meeting in Mantralaya yesterday.

According to sources, Pichad, in a letter to the sub-committee, said, "The Constitution offers equal rights to every citizen of the country. There are no provisions in the Constitution to make special legislations for specific categories of people."

Pichad's views come after the six-member sub-committee headed by State Industries Minister Narayan Rane, Harashwardhan Patil and Nitin Raut from Congress, and Dr Vijaykumar Gavit and Jaidutta Kshirsagar sent their draft of the legislation to political parties and senior media persons for their recommendations.