Suresh Kalmadi criticises Ajit Pawar, bats for media

Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi, who has been at the receiving end of the media scrutiny in the wake of the Commonwealth Games mismanagement, today hailed the role of the fourth estate.

Kalmadi, reacting to the attack on the media by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar yesterday, said "freedom of the press is important. I did not talk of banning media even when I was targeted."

In an angry outburst, Pawar at a public meeting in Nanded had talked of "banning" the media when a television channel cameraman was focusing on a farmer who intervened during his speech to ventilate a problem, accusing the media of giving negative publicity.

Kalmadi and Ajit Pawar who is nephew of the NCP president and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, have been at loggerheads in the tussle to gain control over the civic politics in Pune.

"One should not use such language. But what can you do with the people who are in the habit of using it ?", Kalmadi told mediapersons here.