Bali accuses channel of being biased, resigns

Shimla, July 29 (UNI) A sting operation by a private news channel has claimed the scalp of Himachal Pradesh Tourism and Transport G S Bali who was shown present at an ''indecent party'' organised to celebrate his birthday on Thursday night at Dharamshala in Kangra district.

''I object to the channel only showing that part of the video where a few girls are dancing, while not focusing on the families, including mine, present on the occasion,'' he told the channel over the telephone from Dharmashala yesterday.

Mr Bali said the party had been organised by two of his NRI friends on the occasion of his birthday and he did not spend more than five minutes in the party before leaving for his home.

''I did not stay for more than five minutes in the party, which was not organised by me and neither I had danced with any of the girls nor done anything wrong,'' he asserted.

The Minister said he has already decided to put in his papers, after the channel aired the video, in accordance with the high principles of the Congress party.

He said what has hurt him most was the channel was functioning with a bias towards him and was trying to tarnish his image.

''Since the people of the state and Chintpurni Goddess is with me I would come out of this,'' he said.

Exasperated over the channel's anchor terming the girls dancing in the video as ''call girls'', it does not argue well for the news channel to call them so without verifying their antecedents.

Replying to a question by the channel's anchor on an inquiry into the video, Mr Bali said he had not shot the film and had nothing wrong in the party an inquiry would serve no purpose.

The Minister, channel anchor and the reporter also exchanged heated words during the 90-minute telecast of the programme, which began at 2100 hrs and continued up to 2230 hrs followed by an unedited replay soon after.

Mr Bali, a senior Congress leader, is a heavyweight and his election to the state Assembly from Nagrota Bhagwan constituency in the next assembly was a foregone conclusion.

But with the telecast of the ''indecent party'' video, it remains to be seen, what effect it would have on his electorate and political career.

UNI