Govt must prevent control of free source of news: Cong

New Delhi, Oct 20 (UNI) Stating that the party was against an individual or institution buying controlling shares in United News of India, the Congress today urged the Government to ensure that no one could monopolise the free flow of information.

Replying to a question on the party's stand on majority shares of UNI being bought by a media house, Congress Spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here that his party was against the move.

''The Government must provide for safeguards to ensure that none could excecise control over any free source of news, including United News of India.'' The Congress Spokesman said this question was not confined to a group gaining control over UNI,but the Congress was of the view that the freedom of thought, speech and expression must prevail.

''It is for the Government to investigate as to which are sources of free news and what are the safeguards needed to save them from being monopolised,'' Mr Singhvi said, adding ''no uniform policy could be adopted but the Government would have to adopt a case by case approach to determine which are those news agencies which have to be protected from being monopolised.'' Mr Singhvi pointed out that the Congress stand with regard to UNI had always been that it was against the news agency being controlled by a single media house. He recalled that one month ago he had himself spelt out the party's stand on UNI. ''I myself had told the UNI agitators then that it was not acceptable to the Congress that someone should have control over such an important free source of news.'' UNI YS AT BD1850