PCN objects to insulting contents of Indian TV channels

Kathmandu, July 10

The Press Council Nepal has made correspondent to its counterpart in India seeking the latter’s support in taking action against the Indian channels that deliberately broadcast fake stories with the motive of defaming the Prime Minister of Nepal.

It has written a letter to Chairman of Press Council of India (PCI) Chandramauli Kumar Prasad seeking support to take actions against the Zee News and other television channels that broadcast malicious fabricated stories against Nepal and its PM KP Sharma Oli.

“The fabricated video story produced and disseminated by Zee News of India and sensationalised on social media sites fantasised that the  Prime Minister of Nepal had an affair with Hou Yanqi, Ambassador of China to Nepal,” PCN said in the letter signed by its Chairman Kishor Shrestha.

“The video story has not only fantasised framed information but also attacked on the integrity of a sovereign nation. This has escalated ongoing bilateral tensions among the people and governments of Nepal and India,” it further said.

Stating that there were many baseless stories produced by Indian television channels that attack upon the integrity of Nepal, the PCN said that it trusted PCI in helping in reaching out the concerned company and agency and promoting ethical journalism. “We trust you are worried to learn about these incidents and would facilitate reaching out to the media outlets or a concerned authority as it is pertinent for us to promote ethical journalism around,” PCN urged PCI in the letter.

It said that the PCI would consider offending Nepal’s PM Oli with framed hateful story was a blemish in the name of journalism.

Meanwhile, it updated its counterpart in India that the broadcasting of Indian TV channel except Doordarshan had been banned in Nepal owing to the situation resulting from the recent media propaganda. “We request you to initiate for actions and/or dialogues reminding the concerned media outlets to stick on media ethics and confident that your role will be instrumental finding way out of the crisis,” said the PCN.

Earlier, following Nepal’s ban on Indian private TV channels, Editor of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhary had tweeted, “This country is scared of the Indian news anchors, there was no need of sending the army.”

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 11 July 2020.