Is Press Council of India (PCI) is the protector of anti-national Medias?

Sudhir Neerattupuram

I submitted a complaint against the Mangalam Daily (Malayalam) published from Kottayam, Kerala for professional misconduct by an editor, working journalist and the Printer & Publisher of this newspaper to Press Council of India on 29^th September 2012.

Mangalam daily published a news on 01-09-2012, headed “5 hours:  world shocked hearing immolation of 97 people, no definition for this cruelty; massacre of ‘Naroda’ ” written by the reporter Mr. N.M. Unnikrishnan. This news clearly crossed the ‘journalistic ethics and is an offence against public taste’.

This news item is filled with false stories as news and designed to create communal enmity, riots between Muslims and Hindus in Kerala. The news started with this big lie, “fully pregnant young Kausar Bano was raped by the mob, even without allowing her to cry and slitting her stomach with a shoole (trident) and wrenched out her fetus, and flung it into the fire. The devilish death was forcefully accepted by 97 people.”

At first, I received a letter from Press Council of India (PCI) on 16-10-2012, Letter File No. 14/489/12-13-PCI asking more information and details. I again sent the detailed complaint with documents on 31-10-2012. Now on 12-02-2013, I received a letter from PCI dated 06-02-2013 saying that “publication/non-publication of any matter lies within the discretion of an editor and as per Norm 3(xiv) of Norms of Journalistic Conduct, the matter stands closed for lack of locus.” Again on 15-02-2013 I sent a detailed reply to the PCI against the decision of closing my complaint. I strongly oppose the arguments of PCI about closing my complaint on the name of “Locus Standi”. My details in my letter are given below :

“The said Norm 3(xiv) is given below :

            (xiv) Locus Standi

In cases involving personal allegations /criticism, only the concerned person enjoying the locus standi can move the plaint or claim right to reply.

However a representative organization of persons attached to an organization or a sect / group has the locus standi to move complaints against a publication directly criticizing the conduct of a leader.  (NORMS OF JOURNALISTIC CONDUCT, PCI, 2010 Edition, Page 10)

           

            As per the PCI rule given below says that any person can given complaints against the newspapers. It also mentioned that “the complainant need not necessarily be the person aggrieved or directly involved.” But now the PCI told me that I am the Locus Standi so it is closed…!!! I have right to complaint against Mangalam, because I am a citizen in India, I attached to Hindu sect/group and also I am a subscriber of Mangalam daily. The PCI’s procedure for filing the complaint is given below :

Procedure for filing the complaint

While the Council accepts complaints by Email they need to be followed up by signed  complaints.

1. Complaints against the Press

It is open to any person to lodge a complaint with the Press Council against a newspaper for a breach of the recognized ethical canons of journalistic propriety and taste. The complainant need not necessarily be the person aggrieved or directly involved. The alleged breach may be in the publication or non-publication of a news-item or statement, or other material, like cartoons, pictures, photographs, strips or advertisement which are published in a newspaper. Cases can also be initiated by any member of the public against any professional misconduct by an editor, working journalist, staff of a newspaper or engaged in freelance work. There can also be a complaint against any matter transmitted by a news agency by any means whatsoever. (NORMS OF JOURNALISTIC CONDUCT, PCI, 2010 Edition, Page 96,97,98 & http://presscouncil.nic.in/OldWebsite/NORMS-2010.pdf)

            The above procedure is enough to accept a complaint and take action against the Mangalam daily. Actually there did not appear the question about the locus standi. The PCI is trying to save the newspaper, which is very clearly cross the ethics of journalism, honesty, etc. They are published a communal, false, anti-national news. But the PCI did not say a single word against it. It means that the newspapers have right to publish false, communal news and create communal riots & violence between various religions, casts, sects, groups etc. in India. Nobody can right to question/complaint it…!

            If the complaint is true and valid PCI will take up the matter and continue the proceedings against the media. But here, PCI wants to avoid the complaint to save the Mangalam daily at any cost, so they are told a weak reason for reject the complaint. Without any complaint, the PCI Chairman directly take action against the Mumbai (Maharashtra) police, who are take case against the ladies who spread ugly comments against Late Bal Thakkare through Facebook. He also wrote an article in newspapers against Bal Thakkare. It is very clearly open-up the PCI’s anti-Hindu, partial attitudes.

            I gave the complaint against the false and communal news of Mangalam daily against Hindus and State Government of Gujarat. My complaint is valid and in force. Any citizen in India shall right to complaint in PCI against any newspapers, electronic media etc for their anti-national, communal, partial and false articles. PCI will accept it and give justice to the common men in India without restrictions. Otherwise the narrow-minded, anti-national, foreign aided Medias were spread bogus news to create communal tension in India.

            I want Justice from your side. I believe in truth. The face of truth didn’t hide by golden plate for long time. Culprits were punished; don’t allow them to save from lawful punishment. So I humbly request you to take proper enquiry about my complaint and take proper actions against the Mangalam Daily without fear and partiality as early as possible. Don’t close the complaint.”

PCI accepted my above given arguments and they sent notices to Managalam daily for explanations. But they didn’t provide any reply to PCI. So the PCI sent Show Cause Notice to the Mangalam Daily, Kottayam on 06-09-2013. After that Mangalam sent a ‘Written Statement’ (25-09-2013) to PCI. Mangalam only denied all my arguments without any evidences and also saying that, “….all the allegations raised against us by the complainant are absolutely baseless, fabricated and beyond the facts” (page 1).

In Mangalam’s reply they are denying. They said, “Hence all the allegations raised against us by the complainant are absolutely baseless, fabricated and beyond the facts.”

They also said,” As regards the news items subject to the complaint, it was collected on the basis of the findings of the INA, and we have never added or published anything else other than what is revealed and declared by the concerned officers.” These arguments are false. INA or SIT reports are clearly saying that the media story about Kausar Bano is false.

I sent a reply to PCI for this Statement and PCI will ordered an enquiry committee’s hearing on 11^th February 2014 at PCI’s head quarters in New Delhi. I hope that the PCI will take strong action against the media who are violating the laws & order, media ethics, spread communal tension with false & imaginary reports. It will help the communal harmony in India. The narrow minded pseudo secularist’s ugly reports were divide people and create riots. Medias are the protectors of democracy, peace, social harmony, secularism, ethics etc. if the PCI will punish the dailies who are spread unethical and false reports through there media. Hope that Indian Print and Vision media were stands for ethical journalism.

Unfortunately, on 11^th February 2014, PCI Chairman Hon’ble Justice Markandeya Katju dismissed my complaint without take any action against Mangalam daily who was published the anti-national, communal, bogus, definable, false  reports regularly in their newspaper. PCI’s 15 member enquiry committee (except 2 members) was support Mangalam daily. The reason for dismissal is I have no “Locus Standi.” It is unlawful decision. Because on 06-02-2013 PCI will reject my complaint on same reason and after my appeal PCI accept my complaint. Now, again PCI reject my complaint with old reason (lack of locus). Locus Standi is applicable for article against any leader.  I am complained a news published in Mangalam daily on 01-09-2012, headed “5 hours:  world shocked hearing immolation of 97 people, no definition for this cruelty; massacre of ‘Naroda’ ” This news item did not mention any leaders name. This article is fill with communal poison, defame, bogus, false etc. I complained that “This news clearly crossed the ‘journalistic ethics and is an offence against public taste’.

This news item is filled with false stories as news and designed to create communal enmity, riots between Muslims and Hindus in Kerala.”  

Mangalam and other pseudo secular media in India were trying to spread anti-national thought through their media. They have getting huge funds from foreign anti-national elements. So it is important to questioning this type of false propaganda. It is very bad that the PCI also supporting the anti-national Medias without take any action against them. If anybody submit complaints, it will dismiss with simple reasons.

Before our Independence (1947) the British rulers are spreading false news and acts to divide the Hindus & Muslims in India and create riots for their political survival (divide & rule). After independence in India the Western cultured pseudo secularist rulers and media were trying to spread false reports to divide the people in India for ruling power and increases circulation respectively. So many social workers are saying that in our country the media syndicates were working with the funds of foreign Islamic & Western countries for anti-national activities. They are publishing false, communal, fabricated, and absolutely baseless and beyond the facts reports to support the anti-national elements, against the national interest and destroy the integrity & peace in our ancient nation. If some news papers or INA publishes false news, it will avoid. If one lie repeatedly says 100 times, it didn’t become a true. The lie is always a lie. 

In Mangalam daily’s Written Statement to PCI they said that, “As such Mangalam Daily does not entertain nor does it publish any defamatory, malicious item or blasphemy against any religion, person, authority or establishment. Our prime mission is to bring common issues of public interest to the general public. We always focus on maintaining professional ethics and morale” (page 2). Unfortunately, Mangalam’s daily reports, editorials, essays etc are proving that they are working just opposite to the above statement. I already submitted Mangalam’s so many unethical news items to prove my findings. Mangalam’s speech and acts are so different!

Mangalam is continuously publishing anti-Hindu reports in their media. Early they are publishing reports against the Believers Church headed by Bishop K.P. Yohannan, who was getting huge crores of Dollars from abroad and use it for conversion of Hindus to Christianity, he also illegally brought acres of land in Kerala. Now Mangalam daily is silent about his doubtful activities and also Mangalam started to publish his essays regularly on its Sunday special issue. Some people in Kerala saying that he purchase Mangalam. His main enemy is Hindu organizations, who are strongly against his religious conversions. So Mangalam is trying to publish bogus and defame reports against Hindu Ashramas, Sanyasis, Leaders, Institutions etc.

I am submitting so many evidences to prove Mangalam daily’s false unethical reports about Gujarat Riots, murder of Kausar Bano, murder of Javed Sheikh (Pranesh Pillai) (who was try to kill Gujarat Chief Minister Sri. Narendra Modi and killed by police), murder of Satnam Singh (who was trying to kill Mata Amrithanandamai Devi and killed by roommates in a Govt. Mental Hospital, Kerala) etc. Press Council of India intelligently avoid all proves that I was submitted. They did not mention a single word about the contents in my complaint. They want to save the pseudo secular Medias and continuing their anti-national/Hindu/BJP/RSS false, bogus, communal, ugly reports to insulting the majority community in India. Some of the people in Kerala saying that Mangalam and other some medias are supporting anti-national Islamic and Christian terrorist groups accepting money and glorifying them through their media and also insulting majority community.