MADRAS: Mr. N. Ram, the associate editor of an English daily based in Madras “The Hindu” has been suspended by the board of directors of properties of the daily in view of what the board called his “unethical and reprehensible” con duct, pending a final decision, according to sources close to the board.
The source told reporters here that N. Ram had been asked to submit his explanation by October 24 in response to the showcase notice issued to him by Kasturi and sons limited.
The board had viewed with “great concern” the disturbing implications and consequences of Ram’s press conference in New Delhi on October 12 and subsequent interviews to the press.
These statements were “defamatory” in the con text of the editorial structure of the newspaper, the sources who did not wish to be identified, said.
The board had felt that Ram had set an “alarming editorial precedent” by challenging in public editor G. Kasturi’s decision not to publish the second in stallment of Kam’s report on the Bofors issue, the sources said.
They said his handling over editorial material, which rightfully belonged to “the Hindu,” to other newspapers for publication was “unethical and reprehensible,’ and this had caused enormous damage to the paper’s reputation and put the institution in “great jeopardy.”
In addition, Ramhad publicly challenged the editor’s authority by questioning his right to read every word that would go into edition copy or material, particularly of a sensitive nature, before consenting to its publication, the sources said. PTI.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 27, 1989
