The Hindu : Article on PM biased: Govt.

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Tuesday, Jun 18, 2002

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Article on PM biased: Govt.

New Delhi June 17. The NDA Government has taken strong exception to the contents of an article on the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, in the Time magazine, terming it as ``completely biased'' and ``baseless''.

``Our views in this regard have been made known to the Editor,'' an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson told presspersons today when her comments were sought on the article which, among other things, makes references to Mr. Vajpayee's health.

``It certainly doesn't fall into the category of the kind of reporting expected from Time magazine,'' she said.

It was ``completely without foundation. It is baseless and ill-advised. It is a completely biased and ill-informed article'', she added.

Malicious, says Advani

The Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, said the article was ``malicious and a bundle of untruths.''

He did not disclose whether the Government was contemplating action against the magazine. — PTI

Our Patna Correspondent reports:

The Samata Party, a constituent of the NDA Government at the Centre, has also taken strong exception to the Time article and demanded an immediate apology from the journal.

The Railway Minister and senior Samata Party leader, Nitish Kumar, said the party national executive, at its meeting in Delhi on Sunday, adopted a resolution condemning the write-up as it not only denigrated the Prime Minister but also the country as a whole.

The resolution, adopted unanimously, was moved by the Defence Minister, George Fernandes.

Dubbing the report as "sub-standard,'' Mr. Kumar said it reflected poor intellect.

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