SANN - Sabrang Alternative News Network

August 6, 2011

The Chairman

Press Council of India

New Delhi

Dear Sir,

We would like to bring to your attention an article published in DNA, dated July 16, 2011, by Dr Subramanian Swamy, titled `How to wipe out Islamic Terror’. The piece was published three days after the Mumbai bomb blasts.

We believe that the piece violates the Press Council guidelines on communal issues, issued in 2010, specially :

i) ``News, views or comments relating to communal or religious disputes/clashes shall be published after proper verification of facts and presented with due caution and restraint in a manner which is conducive to the creation of an atmosphere congenial to communal harmony, amity and peace…..writing about the incident in a style which is likely to inflame passions, aggravate the tension, or accentuate the strained relations between the communities/religious groups concerned, or which has a potential to exacerbate the trouble, shall be avoided.

ii) ``Journalists and columnists owe a very special responsibility to their country in promoting communal peace and amity. Their writings are not a mere reflection of their own feelings but help to large extent in moulding the feelings and sentiments of the society at large. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that they use their pen with circumspection and restraint.

iii)``…a heavy responsibility devolves on the author of opinion articles. The author has to ensure that not only are his or her analysis free from any personal preferences, prejudices or notions, but also they are based on verified, accurate and established facts and do not tend to foment disharmony or enmity between castes, communities and races.’’

At a sensitive time like this, Dr Swamy's diatribe can only serve to inflame passions against an entire community. In the wake of angry rejoinders to the article, the editor of DNA wrote that Dr Swamy's views were published in the ``spirit of not denying space to different points of view.'' But a point of view expressed in terms that constitute an offence under IPC Sec 153-A (promoting communal enmity), scarcely deserved space in a responsible newspaper.

We request the Press Council to please examine the matter and take appropriate action.

Signed:

1. Sukla Sen, Peace activist, Mumbai

2. Daniel Mazagaonkar, Sarvodaya activist, Mumbai

3. Ammu Joseph, senior journalist, Bangalore

4. Suhasini Ali, trade union leader, Kanpur

5. Manisha Sethi, Jamia Teachers Solidarity Association, Delhi

6. Dhirendra Sharma Centre for Science Policy

7. Rohini Hensman, researcher & human rights activist, Mumbai

8. Ajay Shaw, poet, mumbai

9. Kamayani Bali Mahabal, human rights activist, mumbai

10. Kaveri Rajaraman, post-doc researcher, IISC, Banglaore

11. Vrijendra, human rights activist, Mumbai,

12. S Seshan, teacher, Mumbai

13. Sumathi Sudhakar Children's Writer and Publisher, Chennai

14. Jyoti Punwani, journalist, Mumbai

15. M A Siraj, journalist, Bangalore

16. Md Ali, journalist, Delhi

17. Saurav Datta, advocate & law lecturer, Mumbai

18. A J Jawad, Advocate, Madras.

19. Zafarullah Khan, Advocate , Chennai

20. Ajit Eapen, human rights activist, Mumbai

21. Dr Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, chennai

22. Anil Bhatia,former Banker, Mumbai

23. Ghulam Mohiyuddin, secular activist

24. Shahidur Rashid Talukdar USA

25. Shrikumar Poddar- NRISAHI

(Non Resident Indians for Secular and Harmonious India)

26. George Abraham-ditto

27. Mohammad Imran-ditto

28. Armana Ishaque—ditto

29. Md Mansoor Khan Business-hirer, Secunderabad

30. Musab Iqbal, Journalist, New Delhi

Attached:

Letter to the Editor. DNA, Mumbai

Article by Subramanian Swamy

DECLARATION

“I declare to the best of my knowledge and belief that I have placed all the relevant facts before the Council and that no proceedings are pending in any court of law in respect of any matter alleged in the complaint. I will notify the Council forthwith if during the pendency of the inquiry before the Council any matter alleged in the complaint becomes the subject matter of any proceedings in a court of law".