State Press Council for Maharashtra proposed

Maharashtra government is contemplating to set up a state Press Council. Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh made this announcement in Mumbai June 23.
This is his way to try to stop attacks on journalists in Maharashtra. Although he did not outline details of his plan, but obviously there will be a code of conduct for the media. How the media and media persons respond to evolution of such a code remains to be seen.
The Chief Minister was addressing the first meeting of a committee set up to examine ways and means of stopping attacks on mediapersons. He said .that the government appointed committee would soon suggest measures to prevent attacks on mediapersons and their offices.
In the past fortnight, the Mumbai media's vulnerability to attacks from different quarters became a matter of serous concern. There have been attacks on the homes of senior journalist, Lokasatta editor Kumar Ketkar in Mumbai, and the offices of the Shiv Sena party organ, Saamna, in Pune.
Deshmukh said that while the government was committed to the freedom of the media in the state, the media professionals should not misuse this liberty.
Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil suggested that if media professionals apprehended any controversy to erupt from their writings, they should alert the police who will take preventive measures to ward off attacks.
(Source: IANS and local media)