PCI chief rejects members charges

PCI chairperson Markandey Katju today rejected charges that the council was maintaining a "stoic silence" over the Tehelka case, saying it has already asked all media houses to set up internal committees to prevent and redress cases of sexual harassment.
He also said it would be "improper" to comment on the case at this stage.
"The criminal investigation is going. What can we do? The accused had moved anticipatory bail. But we have already issued statements asking all media organisations to set up internal committees to prevent and redress cases of sexual harassment of women at workplace as per the Vishakha guidelines having been framed by Supreme Court," Katju said.

His reaction came after two Press Council of India (PCI) members -- Rajeev Ranjan Nag and Kalyan Barooah -- in a letter to him yesterday had questioned why no action was taken even after two weeks.
"We are disappointed to note that even after the lapse of two weeks, the PCI has not initiated any action from its side, whereas we feel the Council should have taken suo-moto cognisance of the incident, instead of maintaining a stoic silence," they said.
The two members also said that a couple of months ago when a photo journalist was gangraped in Mumbai, the PCI had immediately taken note of the incident and despatched a one-man fact-finding team to Mumbai.