Journalists Are Not Liable For Defamation
A Senior Civil Judge in Ponda, Goa, has dismissed Sanatan Sanstha’s defamation suit against weekly Goan Observer for an article entitled ‘Protecting Hinduism-Sanatan Sanstha’ published in the week of June 28-July 4, 2008. Observations made Sanstha are significant considering that members of the Sanstha have been accused of the murders of Gauri Lankesh, rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi and Govind Pansare.
The Sanstha had filed a civil suit against the editor, owner, publisher and the printer of weekly Goan Observer. The plaintiffs alleged that the said the article “created suspicion in the minds of the followers and has shaken the faith of the seekers. That it has insulted the work done by thousands of selfless seekers”.
The plaintiffs sought Rs. 1 crore as the cost for damages with 12 per cent interest per annum from the date of filing the suit till the date of payment of cost.
It was argued on behalf of the defendants that the article was based on a book published by the Sanstha called “Swarakshan Prashikshan”. The said book had pictures of self-defence training with the use of trishul and guns, the defendants said.
The defendants denied that the article has defamed the plaintiffs or it had created suspicion in the minds of the followers and has shaken the faith of the seekers. They sought the suit to be dismissed.