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| Rather seeks unconditional apology from KT editor | | 'I don't have a house in Kashmir, leave alone Dubai' | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, JULY 19- Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, has strongly refuted accusation regarding acquisition of residential property in Dubai carried by Kashmir Times on July 19th apparently in follow up to a Srinagar daily report on July 18th.
An official press release tonight said that Mr Rather has written a letter to the Executive Editor of the Kashmir Times, and expressed his deep anguish and pain on the report that has explicitly identified the Jammu & Kashmir Minister as buyer of a Rs 1.20 billion house in Dubai. Rather has called the KT story as "baseless reporting and wild accusation" against his person and sought unconditional apology for "character assassination and maligning my integrity and reputation".
Terming the allegation as an attempt to sensationalize, the Minister has called upon the newspaper to present facts before the public in the right perspective or face legal action. Following is the text of the communication:-
“Journalism is an important and well respected pillar of the democracy and is expected to play a mature, responsible and non partisan role in reporting matters of public importance. Healthy criticism of public figures and their policies is always welcome; however, irresponsible reporting with sheer intention of character assassination and sensationalization of event is most unfortunate and condemnable.
A story titled “Omar plans Cabinet reshuffle” has been carried in your daily Newspaper ( K.T. News dated 19 July, 2010) in which an accusation has been made against me in person for having purchased a Villa in the Palm Tree Villa at Dubai for a whooping amount of Rs. 120 crore. This is an accusation which has damaged my reputation in public and my standing of more than 35 years in public life in an irreparable manner. What is more condemnable is that the accusation has no basis or even remote relation to the facts of my personal life. I would also like to throw an open challenge that in case you have any basis of your reporting please have courage to make it public without indulging in mischievous, malicious and conspiratorial campaign with the sole purpose of character assassination.
The news item has given me pain and anguish because my integrity and reputation has been sought to be maligned. A person, who despite having spent long years in public life, as Minister for 15 years and leader of opposition for more than 4 years, does not own any residential property in Kashmir. How, in his imagination the Reporter has alleged procurement of a residential property worth Rs. 120 crore in Dubai?
In view of the above facts, I would strongly urge for an unconditional apology’ to be published prominently in your Newspaper failing which a legal action as provided under law shall be the only course available to me. I would like to reiterate that for me it is far too serious a matter to be left like this. I would request you to take immediate corrective measures and ensure that a rejoinder is issued in the Newspaper to present facts before the public. I would, also suggest in right earnest that a responsible Newspaper should not indulge in scandalous and irresponsible reporting like this in future”.
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