/24-7PressRelease/ - New Delhi, India, May 28, 2005 - Revolutionary Socialist Party MP Abani Roy has lodged a strong protest with Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Jaipal Reddy against the alleged partisan role played by Press Trust of India, India's premier news agency, in reporting the family feud on the ownership and control of Reliance Group companies.
Mr Roy has alleged that the corporate wing of PTI has functioned "virtually as the back office" of the propaganda outfit of Reliance vice-chairman and managing director Anil Ambani by putting out as many as 30 stories on corporate governance issues without cross-checking with the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) management headed by its CMD Mukesh Ambani.
''Most of the stories were downright libelous with their authors reveling on the assurance that the victims of their mudslinging would not seek redress from the court in the larger interest of an amicable settlement of the family dispute,''Mr Roy said.
Mr Roy has also alleged that ''there have been occasions when stories have been planted by PTI on its subscriber newspapers with the possible motive of influencing the market.
He has particularly mentioned the name of Tony Jesudasan, Anil Ambani's adviser, as the man pulling the strings in PTI in cohort with a senior business correspondent.
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The Left MP has pointed out that the damage caused by the PTI stories has been compounded by some of the news channels also picking them up.
Mr Roy has appealed to the Minister to ensure that PTI maintains its objectivity. "If the recent pernicious tendencies in the news agency are not curbed, there is every possibility of interested parties in India or abroad using it to take the national media for a ride."
Mr Roy has also suggested that the board of directors of the agency set up an ombudsman to ensure impartiality of news.
PS: This is an opinion based on an open letter by Mr. Abany Roy addressed to Mr. S. Jaipal Reddy.
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