Political party leaders, Parliamentary committees and advocacy groups have taken serious exception to statements issued by the Indian Embassy that questioned the integrity of the Nepali media, which have questioned the quality of an Indian joint venture product.
In defence of the Nepali media, they have said it is the responsibility of the free press to remain vigilant.
They have demanded the government summon Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood to inquire about the statement, saying that it is in breach of established diplomatic norms. Though no one would go on record
fearing reprisals from the Embassy, even some senior officials in the joint venture companies say the Embassy’s recent policy could make them a “needless victim”.
In its recent statements, the Indian embassy tried to portray the Nepali media in poor light, claiming that the joint venture has received negative media publicity because it failed to provide advertisements. The embassy statements, however, remain silent on the fact that some half a dozen Indian joint ventures had voiced strong reservations against the embassy policy, asking them to impose an ‘Ad blackout’ on those media houses that the embassy regards as “unfriendly.”
“We have in fact told the embassy that it would not be in our long-term commercial interest to ignore the media that have wide reach,” said a senior official of one of the joint ventures. “We are a commercial enterprise and our decisions should be solely based on commercial interests. Politically motivated decisions will unnecessary hurt us. If the embassy wants to take all the decisions for us, it might as well run our companies.”
Reacting to the issue, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament, Ram Krishna Yadav, on Tuesday said his committee would take up the issue. “The questions raised by the media regarding substandard products of an Indian joint venture have drawn our attention,” Yadav said at the Reporter’s Club.
“We will convene a meeting to hold discussions on the issue at the earliest.” The PAC is the second House committee to express concern over the issue.
On Monday, the House committee on International Relations and Human Rights unanimously condemned the Indian embassy’s statements, directing the government to seek a clarification from Indian Ambassador Sood.
Expressing solidarity with the Nepali media fraternity, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) took strong exception to the statement. “FNJ believes that the embassy’s statement targeting the Nepali media is improper and uncalled-for. FNJ completely disagrees with the statement,” the umbrella body of Nepali journalists said in a statement. It also said it is preparing a detailed report on the recent developments vis-a-vis the embassy’s reactions on Nepali media and vice versa.
CPN-UML leader K.P. Oli said no one should interfere in the freedom of the press in the nation. “No one has the authority to question the people’s right to information,” Oli said in an interview with a radio station. “Consumers have the right to consume quality products.”
Nepali Congress central working committee leader Deep Kumar Upadhyaya and UML leader Pradip Gyawali said it was unfortunate to see that there was needless diplomatic response to what is clearly a commercial issue. “There could have been other ways to clarify the media reports, if they were erroneous,” said Gyawali.
Sadbhawana Party leader Laxman Lal Karna urged the government to investigate the issue. “It is the media’s responsibility to point out the wrongs in the society,” said Karna. “The Indian embassy’s statement is an attack on the free media.”
Similarly, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction, Rakam Chemjong, urged the government to seek an explanation from the Indian envoy. Talking to reporters in Dhankuta, Chemjong said the freedom of the press must be respected and everybody should keep it free from intervention.
Contrary to the Indian Embassy’s claims that the media reports were fabricated, the news reports, among others, are based on lab reports from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC), a government agency. The DFTQC report released earlier this month said the Dabur juice contained inedible substances, including worms. This was widely covered by the electronic and print media.
Concluding that the Indian statement was a direct attack on the country’s sovereignty and press freedom, the Nepali media fraternity has sought an apology from the embassy.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Embassy statement row
The Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Human Rights on Monday unanimously condemned a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in connection with media reports that questioned the quality of products manufactured by Indian joint venture Dabur Nepal.
Concluding that it was a “direct attack” on press freedom, the committee directed the government to initiate a process to take action against the embassy.
In a statement issued on Monday, the committee said the Indian Embassy’s statement was against established diplomatic norms. “The committee hereby directs the government to initiate a process to take action on the above mentioned act of the Indian Embassy,” reads the statement.
Committee Chairman Padma Lal Bishwokarma said the statement crossed all diplomatic boundaries. “We have taken serious exception to the statement. The government must react,” said BK, adding that the committee also urged the government to seek a clarification from Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood.
The Committee’s statement follows the Nepali media fraternity’s call to the government to issue a rebuttal. In a statement on Friday, the embassy had accused the Nepali media of engaging in “unethical practices.” It claimed that media houses approached Indian joint ventures for advertisements and resorted to negative publicity when their demands were not met.
The Nepali media fraternity had promptly objected to the Indian Embassy’s press statement.
In a joint statement on Saturday, Nepal Media Society (print), Television Broadcasters, Broadcasting Association of Nepal (commercial radio) and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (the umbrella organisation for community radio broadcasters) cautioned the Indian Embassy against “overstepping its boundary.” The media fraternity has it that the reports that quoted the government’s probe into the quality of Dabur products, were not “unethical practices”.
Most lawmakers in the Committee urged the government to stop the frequent intervention of the Indian embassy on Nepal’s internal affairs. “The government can take action against any substandard product,” said CPN-UML lawmaker Radha Gayawali. “The government must seek a clarification from the Indian Embassy,” said Sadbhawana Party lawmaker Gauri Mahato.
Concluding that it was a “direct attack” on press freedom, the committee directed the government to initiate a process to take action against the embassy.
In a statement issued on Monday, the committee said the Indian Embassy’s statement was against established diplomatic norms. “The committee hereby directs the government to initiate a process to take action on the above mentioned act of the Indian Embassy,” reads the statement.
Committee Chairman Padma Lal Bishwokarma said the statement crossed all diplomatic boundaries. “We have taken serious exception to the statement. The government must react,” said BK, adding that the committee also urged the government to seek a clarification from Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood.
The Committee’s statement follows the Nepali media fraternity’s call to the government to issue a rebuttal. In a statement on Friday, the embassy had accused the Nepali media of engaging in “unethical practices.” It claimed that media houses approached Indian joint ventures for advertisements and resorted to negative publicity when their demands were not met.
The Nepali media fraternity had promptly objected to the Indian Embassy’s press statement.
In a joint statement on Saturday, Nepal Media Society (print), Television Broadcasters, Broadcasting Association of Nepal (commercial radio) and Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (the umbrella organisation for community radio broadcasters) cautioned the Indian Embassy against “overstepping its boundary.” The media fraternity has it that the reports that quoted the government’s probe into the quality of Dabur products, were not “unethical practices”.
Most lawmakers in the Committee urged the government to stop the frequent intervention of the Indian embassy on Nepal’s internal affairs. “The government can take action against any substandard product,” said CPN-UML lawmaker Radha Gayawali. “The government must seek a clarification from the Indian Embassy,” said Sadbhawana Party lawmaker Gauri Mahato.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The embassy men
As always Indian embassy gifted ambulances to Nepal. Why does the terrorist India like ambulance, is there any pshycological reason. Yes, there is it is their guilt feeling that they are behind the murder and killings of Nepalese people and they gift ambulances.
After Rishi Dhamala being exposed very badly to the media for being Indian embasy man this time the Indian embassy is planning a big media gaging campaign soon.
In a meeting with the embassy paid editors from APCA house and others in Lainchour the Indian terrorist Sood has told his henchmen that they are planning something big and will help the media that help embassy to curtail the press freedom in Nepal that is very dangerous for the so-called democratic India and its expansionary interests. Indian could not fulfill its wish to grab the MRP due to his dadagiri style and it is now trying to gag the media so that it can do anything it wants against Nepal and Nepali people in future. Sood has to be immediately sent back but the India sponsored government of Madhav Kumar Nepal and RAW and emabssy-backed media is silent on the issue of press freedom. The RAW is also planning something big for Kailash Sirohiya and Our kantipur Publications. The embassy people are publicly saying that they can murder Kailash sirohiya like Jamim Shah in Kathmandu in broad daylight. Th Jamim Shah case was also planned by RAW and Indian embassy have supported logistics. In the similar fashion, the RAW has send one journalist to the jamim Shah's publication before making the murder plan. It has again sent its one paid journalist, who is now back to RAW-funded himlayan times after collection informations from Kantipur publications, like he earlier went to Space time and returned back to himalayan times and reporte to RAW. His daughter is studying in Delhi sponsored by the RAW and his masters.
Like the east india company entered in India in the name of business and captured India, the RAW-funded APCA is planning to weaken all the nationalist forces and make puppet government like Madhav Kumar Nepal. Any one who is ationalist and stands for Nepal will be marked for murder and the Indianstate funded terrorist organization RAW and Indian embassy excute the murder in Kathmandu.
According to the terrorist Sood's ola those media persons who oppose his master plan will be sidelined by either murdering or charging them with some fake cases.
Dear media friends, be aware and remain vigilant, anyone who works in himalayantimes and APCA may be spying on you and your daily activities and selling the informations to the India embassy.
After Rishi Dhamala being exposed very badly to the media for being Indian embasy man this time the Indian embassy is planning a big media gaging campaign soon.
In a meeting with the embassy paid editors from APCA house and others in Lainchour the Indian terrorist Sood has told his henchmen that they are planning something big and will help the media that help embassy to curtail the press freedom in Nepal that is very dangerous for the so-called democratic India and its expansionary interests. Indian could not fulfill its wish to grab the MRP due to his dadagiri style and it is now trying to gag the media so that it can do anything it wants against Nepal and Nepali people in future. Sood has to be immediately sent back but the India sponsored government of Madhav Kumar Nepal and RAW and emabssy-backed media is silent on the issue of press freedom. The RAW is also planning something big for Kailash Sirohiya and Our kantipur Publications. The embassy people are publicly saying that they can murder Kailash sirohiya like Jamim Shah in Kathmandu in broad daylight. Th Jamim Shah case was also planned by RAW and Indian embassy have supported logistics. In the similar fashion, the RAW has send one journalist to the jamim Shah's publication before making the murder plan. It has again sent its one paid journalist, who is now back to RAW-funded himlayan times after collection informations from Kantipur publications, like he earlier went to Space time and returned back to himalayan times and reporte to RAW. His daughter is studying in Delhi sponsored by the RAW and his masters.
Like the east india company entered in India in the name of business and captured India, the RAW-funded APCA is planning to weaken all the nationalist forces and make puppet government like Madhav Kumar Nepal. Any one who is ationalist and stands for Nepal will be marked for murder and the Indianstate funded terrorist organization RAW and Indian embassy excute the murder in Kathmandu.
According to the terrorist Sood's ola those media persons who oppose his master plan will be sidelined by either murdering or charging them with some fake cases.
Dear media friends, be aware and remain vigilant, anyone who works in himalayantimes and APCA may be spying on you and your daily activities and selling the informations to the India embassy.
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