New Delhi: The Press Council of India (PCI) has issued a notice to the Rajasthan chief secretary over chief minister Ashok Gehlot's reported remark asking the media that if they wanted the advertisement on their government, they should publish "our news".

The PCI issued a notice to the chief secretary of the state seeking a reply in two weeks. The Rajasthan CM had reportedly said during a press conference on December 16, 2019, that "vigyapan chahte ho to hamari khabar dikhao" which roughly translated to "if you want advertisements, show our news".

 

The notice further states that such a statement is contrary to the values of democracy and affects the reliability and freedom of the media.

Justice (Retd) CK Prasad, the president of PCI, issued the notice under Section 13 (Inquiry Procedure) of the Press Council Act 1979.

The Rajasthan CM reportedly made such a statement at a press conference on the occasion of completion of one year of the Congress government in the state.

He had gone on to say that media houses take advertisements worth crores and the political leaders have to call them and tell them to publish news about their government works.

Reacting to this, the BJP raised the issue and accused Gehlot of pressurising the media. The issue had turned into an embarrassment for Congress as Rahul Gandhi, on several occasions accused PM Modi and the BJP of intimidating the media.

BJP state president Satish Poonia said, "Gehlot is the first chief minister of the state to get such a notice. Gehlot's government has been an utter failure, and he should spend his time improving the situation in the state instead of threatening the media."