MADURAI: Refusing to grant relief on a plea challenging the telecast of Sanskrit news in Doordarshan (DD) Podhigai Tamil television channel, the Madras high court on Tuesday observed that there are matters of greater social concern, which need to be addressed and such petty issues need not be looked into by the court.
The court was hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by S Muthukumar, an advocate and resident of Madurai district.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and justice M M Sundresh observed that the channel has limited viewership. The news read in Sanskrit hardly takes up a fraction of the entire day and it is a matter for the government to decide.
“When the petitioner does not find the Sanskrit to be tasteful or useful, there is no compulsion for him to tune in and it is open to the petitioner to switch off the television and get some other form of entertainment during the period the Sanskrit news is read,” observed the judges.
The judges further observed that the petitioner keeps up his public spirit and brings matters involving public interest to the court.
The judges disposed of the petition by granting liberty to the petitioner to make an appropriate representation to such authorities that may receive it. The observations here should not affect the rights of anyone concerned, said the judges.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/madras-high-court-refuses-relief-in-plea-against-sanskrit-news-in-dd-tamil-channel/articleshow/80368214.cms
