Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Markandey Katju said Friday that there was no press freedom in Bihar while this was not the case when Lalu Prasad was the chief minister.
“I heard that there is improvement in law and order in Bihar under (Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar but there is no press freedom,” Katju said at a function here.
He said mediapersons were under pressure not to write anything that goes against the state government.
“Some mediapersons are facing threat of job loss,” he said.
Katju added that when Lalu Prasad ruled Bihar, there was media freedom. A three-member PCI team will visit Bihar soon, he said.
When Katju made his observation, Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh. principal of Patna College, raised objections.
He was joined by some students, who criticized Katju for his remarks. But a large number of students at the event supported Katju.
Early this month Katju had said he was getting reports from many states that media freedom was facing threats.