Journalists boycott Maha CM''s post-cabinet briefing

Mumbai, Feb 9 (PTI) Journalists from print andelectronic media today decided to boycott the post-cabinetpress briefing scheduled to be addressed by Chief MinisterPrithviraj Chavan and his deputy Ajit Pawar this afternoon, toprotest the latter''s recent remarks against scribes.

The decision to boycott the briefing, was taken at ameeting of the Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti, minutesbefore the briefing which was to be held at 1 pm.

Requests by the CMO to journalists to attend thebriefing were spurned as the journalists insisted that theywill not tolerate the humiliation'' meted out to them byPawar.

A delegation of journalists recently met Chavan andMaharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, protesting againstthe alleged remarks by the Deputy Chief Minister againstscribes.

Convenor of the Patrakar Halla Virodhi Kruti Samiti SM Deshmukh and President of the State Accreditation CommitteePrafulla Marpakwar were present at today''s meeting.

Deshmukh said the Deputy Chief Minister "instigatedthe police against journalists at Nanded last week after whichthe police beat up some of the mediapersons covering the rallythere."

Deshmukh said the Samiti is firm on seeking anunconditional apology from the Deputy Chief Minister. ThePolice Inspector and other policemen who beat up thejournalists be suspended and the Superintendent of Police ofNanded be transferred immediately, he said.