PCI chief slams Virbhadra for ‘ugly display of temper’

Press Council of India (PCI) chief Markandey Katju has slammed the “ugly display of temper” by Himachal Pradesh Congress leader Virbhadra Singh after the latter threatened to break cameras of mediapersons.

Press Council of India (PCI) chief Markandey Katju has slammed the “ugly display of temper” by Himachal Pradesh Congress leader Virbhadra Singh after the latter threatened to break cameras of mediapersons. He said such increasingly intolerant behaviour by politicians against journalists was unacceptable in a democracy.

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“It is deeply regrettable that certain politicians are of late becoming increasingly intolerant towards the media, and are not behaving in a manner which is expected of them in a democracy,” he said. “If something untrue is published about a politician, he certainly has a right to get his rejoinder published, but losing one's balance... is not acceptable,” Katju said.

Five-time Himachal CM, Singh had threatened mediapersons after being queried about allegations of income tax evasion and money laundering on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Singh took an apologetic tone. “I respect the media and my intention was not to hurt anybody,” Singh told reporters in Shimla.

In an apparent reference to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the PCI chief said: "There was a statement of a CM of a certain state that a section of the media is doing 'dadagiri' and spreading negative canards about state government."