'Will drop defamation cases against media'

DMK treasurer M K Stalin says all defamation cases against newspapers, including The Times of India, will be dismissed once DMK assumes power in Tamil Nadu after the May 16 election.
In a Facebook message on World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Stalin said press freedom had been buried by the government in the last five years. Nobody can forget the attempts made by the government to muzzle the press in the last five years, he said.
“The present government could not tolerate any article or news which was against them and immediately filed defamation cases against them.More than 100 such cases have been filed against TOI and other newspa pers and Tamil week lies,“ said Stalin. “I promise, as said in our manifesto, that all defa mation cases against the media will be with drawn and a separate welfare association for journalists will be formed,“ he said.
The DMK treasurer also promised that the party, if formed the government, would take steps to safeguard press freedom and welfare of journalists.