NEW DELHI, April 5, (Reuter): The Editor of an Indian magazine has been jailed after publishing a cartoon portraying Tamil Nadu State Legislators as pickpockets and government ministers as bandits. However, he was released only after two days in view of the strong protests by the several journalist associations and opposition leaders.
Opposition leaders and journalists had said they would boycott the State Legislature to protest against. The jailing last night as S. Balasubramanian, editor of the weekly Ananda Vikatan magazine.
Police said a warrant from the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu house in Southern India sentenced the Editor to three months’ imprisonment for breaching privilege of the legislator.
Balasubramanian had rejected a request of the Speaker to publish an apology for the cartoon.
All major opposition parties stormed out of the House yesterday after it approved a government backed jailing the editor for “undermining the prestige and dignity of the House and the reputation of ministers and legislators”.
Opposition members said they would boycott the House tomorrow to press for Balasubramanian’s release.
Several journalist associations, calling the jailing “An assault on press freedom” said in statements they had asked their members not to report House proceedings tomorrow.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1987
