PCI to censure Hindi daily for objectionable report

The Press Council has decided to censure a Indore-based newspaper for publishing a news item which allegedly without basis claimed that a Madhya Pradesh town has become a centre of terror activities.
An enquiry committee of the Press Council examined a complaint by Rubabuddin Sheikh against the editor of a Hindi daily regarding the news item published on October 24, 2009, which, he alleged affected his image and that of the area in which he stayed.
In its report, the enquiry committee informed the Press Council that the complainant is the brother of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.
The daily, Swadesh, in its statement told the committee that the news item had been published in public interest and not to malign the image of the complainant. It also said that other newspapers had filed the same news-item.

After hearing both the parties, the enquiry committee noted that the newspaper had painted the entire city and a particular community with a same brush with charges of anti- national activities.
The committee recommended censure of the newspaper which the Press Council accepted on February 18 this year.