PMO replies to Washington Post, slams journalist

[arp2041]

The Prime Minister's Office has replied to The Washington Post journalist Simon Denyer claiming that the newspaper never contacted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his version on the article slamming him.

"Despite all lines of conversations open, you never got in touch with us for our side of the story though you regularly talk to me about information from the PMO. This story thus becomes totally one sided," the PMO said in the letter.

The article in The Washington Post tagged Manmohan Singh as a "tragic figure'. While the US newspaper refused to apologise, the PMO has claimed that the reporter said sorry twice.

"When I rang you up to point this out, you said sorry twice though you tell the media here that you never apologised," Communications Adviser to the PMO Pankaj Pachauri said in the letter.

The PMO letter said that the journalist 'rehashed and used' an old quote from a magazine. "The former Media Adviser to the PM Dr Sanjaya Baru has complained that you 'rehashed and used' an 8 month old quote from an Indian Magazine," the letter says.

Criticising the journalist, the PMO has said that his conduct was unethical and unprofessional.

The Congress attacked the American newspaper, slamming the article that says, "The image of the scrupulously honorable, humble and intellectual technocrat has slowly given way to a completely different one: a dithering, ineffectual bureaucrat presiding over a deeply corrupt government."

"India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh helped set his country on the path to modernity, prosperity and power, but critics say the shy, soft-spoken 79-year-old is in danger of going down in history as a failure," the article said.

Following is the full text of the letter from the Prime Minister's office:

Dear Simon,

We do not complain about criticism of the government which is a journalist's right. But I am writing this letter for pointing out unethical and unprofessional conduct at your part.

I would like to put on record my complaint about your article which was published today on many counts:

— Despite all lines of conversations open, you never got in touch with us for our side of the story though you regularly talk to me about information from the PMO. This story thus becomes totally one sided.

— You have been telling the media here in India that your request for an interview was declined though the mail below says clearly that the interview was declined "till the Monsoon Session" of the Parliament which gets over in two days.

— When I rang you up to point this out, you said sorry twice though you tell the media here that you never apologised.

— Your website where we could have posted a reply is still not working, 11 hours after you said sorry the third time for its inaccessibility.

— The former Media Adviser to the PM Dr Sanjaya Baru has complained that you "rehashed and used" an 8 month old quote from an Indian Magazine.

We expected better from the correspondent of the Washington Post for fair and unbiased reporting.

Without going into your one sided assessment of the Prime Minister's performance, as comment is free in journalism, I hope you will carry this communication in full in your paper and your website so your readers can judge for themselves what is the truth.

Sincerely

Pankaj Pachauri

Communications Adviser to the Prime Minister's Office



PMO replies to Washington Post, slams journalist - India News - IBNLive

The biggest joke is that when Indian media critize PM's policy than neither the PM nor the PMO finds it necessary to reply but when an American newspaper (or for that matter a non-congress media & more credible media) finds flaws in the GOI policy & accuses Indian PM of indecision than PMO takes no time to reply.

 

[Joe Shearer]

That is certainly not the biggest joke. The biggest joke is that most of India agrees with the contents of the article.

 

[Fuego]

d f8ck...........................

 

[arp2041]

That is certainly not the biggest joke. The biggest joke is that most of India agrees with the contents of the article.

maybe this is the first time that an American newspaper criticizing GOI & PM & guess what they are finding there support from Indians itself.

 

[third eye]

There would have been greater maturity in not responding to the article.

In any case not much was wrong is what was written.

This is how MMS looks to most Indians

A thoroughbred who cannot see..

 

[Riteon]

The joker and his italian queen ........Get the F out of south block

 

[Spring Onion]

The Indian PMO should know first that what is Journalism, an article is a personal opinion based on observations and caluculation of development viz viz the subject therefore an article never never i repeat never needs to fulfill the criteria of presenting both versions i.e of pro- and against.

ONLY a NEWS ITEM, onspot reporting need mentioning of versions from both parties .

 

[karan.1970]

Good stuff... 1 more reason for loving the Americans ... Would have been happier if one of the Indian newspapers came out with this..

 

[arp2041]

Good stuff... 1 more reason for loving the Americans ... Would have been happier if one of the Indian newspapers came out with this..

how can that be as nearly all Indian media is pro-congress, anti-BJP. We hardly have media freedom

 

[karan.1970]

how can that be as nearly all Indian media is pro-congress, anti-BJP. We hardly have media freedom

Nah! Not true.. Its just that political news sells less than other tabloid nonsense these guys keep spending ink on...

 

[Joe Shearer]

how can that be as nearly all Indian media is pro-congress, anti-BJP. We hardly have media freedom

Come on! Who misses a chance to heave half a brick at the rotten old Congress? As far as being anti-BJP goes, that part is the news.

 

[Break the Silence]

Good stuff... 1 more reason for loving the Americans ... Would have been happier if one of the Indian newspapers came out with this..

Who want to loose their advertisement revenue?

 

[arp2041]

Come on! Who misses a chance to heave half a brick at the rotten old Congress? As far as being anti-BJP goes, that part is the news.

NDTV is the best example. I have seen talk shows of Bharkha Dutt, she hardly lets a BJP spokesperson speak (just an opinion, i may be wrong).

+ why do u think there is only anti-Modi campaign all over the media when congress has done the same thing (or even worse) in the past.

 

[Break the Silence]

NDTV is the best example. I have seen talk shows of Bharkha Dutt, she hardly lets a BJP spokesperson speak (just an opinion, i may be wrong).

+ why do u think there is only anti-Modi campaign all over the media when congress has done the same thing (or even worse) in the past.

No, you are right , even I felt so, they never let BJP people to put their points clearly..

 

[doublemaster]

There is no problem with MMS.
All Europe is in more danger than India.

Recently India made tough decisions on Taxes which they are not liking it.
India also decided to allow to make some copies of medicines in India which big companies did not like.
Some time before all western leaders praised Indian leader when he was liberal.

May be MMS is doing as Sonia said, But these are only political decisions. Economics decisions are not dicated by her. This is still fine.
In BJP polical decisions are controlled by RSS. So congress or BJP effect is same.

Still if some one did want sonia to controll MMS, Then only thing i can say is they should have allowed her to become PM.

Manmohan is shy and decent. He did not comment even when he was called with bad words by takres. He did not make marketting of what he had done when he was FM in 90's. He lifter GDP from 1 to 7. But
You could see all kind of marketing like India shining by BJP even though that time GDP remained less or same than pre NDA.