Sheila Dikshit gets Press Council relief against TOI, Amar Ujala

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) Giving relief to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Press Council Of India has passed strictures on the Times of India, New Delhi and the Amar Ujala, Meerut for publishing news reports suggesting that the Chief Minister had been strongly taken to task by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi over the demolition issue.

Ms Dikshit had complained to the PCI over the TOI news items captioned 'PM rap on slow pace--Manmohan Sends Strong Message Across to Delhi Govt' and 'Sonia raps Sheila on knuckles--Cong Chief Furious at Being dragged into Demolition Row'.

The offensive news item in Amar Ujala, Meerut was captioned 'Pakra gaya Sheila ka Jhooth-Sonia Naraz(Sheila's lie detected-Sonia angry).

The PCI described these reports as 'fabricated, misleading and defamatory write ups'' and said the newspapers should have verified the reports before publishing it.

The Press Council noted that the reports were based on information given by 'sources'.

''Though it is correct that political perosons are expected to be more tolerant of public criticism of statements, actions and conduct, but the press has to have some reasonable basis for its reports. In these instances, no proof of such reasonable basis has been forthcoming,'' it said.

The Council felt that it was also essential for the press to maintain the dignity of office of the public person while giving its report.

The demolition issue was very sensitive, so all reports relating to it should have been duly verified and if any refutation by a responsible person became available subsequently, it should have been given prominence subsequently, it said.

The PCI directed the newspapers under secion 14(3) of the Press Council of India Ac, 1978 to publish the gist of this adjudication in the columns of the newspaper prominently on the front page.

UNI