Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Report & rebuttal

This refers to the report `Gujarat government rebuts report on Johri enquiry' (May 6). Your response to the rebuttal of the report and retraction of the assertion that the Johri report speaks of "collusion of the State Government" are appropriate. The Sohrabuddin case must be handed over to the CBI for a thorough investigation and the criminals brought to book.

K.S. Thampi,
Chennai

* * *

As a loyal reader of your paper for more than six decades, I appreciate your moral courage in retracting your front page assertion that the Johri report speaks of the Gujarat Government's collusion and its Home Minister's role in the fake encounters case. You have expressed your deep regret for the errors in your story in no uncertain terms setting high moral standards in newspaper ethics. However, you would do well to curb your customary enthusiasm in reporting anything that damages the BJP.

Col. C.V. Venugopalan (retd.),
Palakkad

* * *

Kudos to Geetha Johri, IG, CID Crime, for having set an example in professional commitment, honesty, and integrity regarding the investigation into the fake encounter killings. The Hindu too deserves compliments for publishing the Gujarat Government's rebuttal of the news story on the Johri report. Irrespective of the retraction from many quarters, it is a fact that in the murky politics of Gujarat such despicable episodes do take place.

Tahseen Afroze,
Chennai

* * *

It is strange that the press and some TV channels are conducting trials and accusing all and sundry when the Supreme Court is seized of the matter. Your acceptance of your mistake and clarification are welcome.

Balachandran C.M.,
Kozhikode

* * *

It appears that The Hindu has a one-point agenda: Damage Modi, dethrone BJP. In your hurry to cause damage to Narendra Modi, you have published certain unverified facts, which you have had to retract. Why not leave it to the people of Gujarat to decide the fate of Mr. Modi?

Rettavayal S. Krishnaswamy,
Chennai

* * *

It is good that you have published the Gujarat Government's rebuttal with a clarification. Hope this sort of error by an esteemed paper like The Hindu will not be repeated. Keep up your reputation and impartiality.

V.S. Ganeshan,
Bangalore

* * *

Your expression of regret in response to the Gujarat Government's rebuttal of the report on the Geetha Johri enquiry shows your commitment to truthful reporting. At the same time, it should never be forgotten that something written in a daily such as The Hindu is taken by millions of readers as authentic information.

Bijuram S.,
Kothachira, Kerala

* * *

I have been a reader of The Hindu for 50 years and I was greatly distressed to read the "corrections and clarifications" on the first page of your daily on Sunday. There was a time when it was said that a news item would be considered authentic only if it was published by The Hindu . It was even jocularly said that The Hindu would not carry even an obituary advertisement unless it made sure that the person was really dead. Such was the reputation of the daily but today it has carried a sort of apology for publishing an unauthenticated story. I hope that this will be an occasion for some introspection.

P.S. Balasubramaniam,
Chennai

* * *

The assertion about the Geeta Johri report and its subsequent retraction is a reflection of bias in discharging one's professional duty. If it is the view of the media that the haunting issue of fake encounter is the direct result of perceived bias in the Gujarat administration against a particular community, then it could be held against the media that the publication and retraction of the purported report of Geeta Johri in your esteemed column is the direct result of perceived bias against Mr. Modi in the media. Opinions could be plural but fact is singular. The media are yet to realise that the continued demonisation of Narendra Modi, the elected Chief Minister of Gujarat, is adding to his political strengths.

S. Sundararaman,
Bangalore

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Labour in deeper trouble
Ending the war on the roads
Key issues in the Sohrabuddin case
Global takeovers hit £1 trillion
Colby Buzzell, a king among blookers
Travel as the new tobacco-like curse
Report & rebuttal
Bullying tone
Severe indictment
Personal attacks
Shocking
"It is a fact that the Tamil people are doing well"

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu