PMO protests with Washington Post over PM's criticism

The Prime Minister's Office has lodged a formal protest with Washington Post newspaper over an article critical of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and has termed the journalist's conduct as "unethical and unprofessional".

The PMO, in its reaction posted on the United States-based newspaper's website, has said the article was "totally one-sided" as the journalist "never" got in touch with the PMO for its version.

"We do not complain about criticism of the government which is a journalist's right. But I am writing this letter to point out unethical and unprofessional conduct on your part," said a letter by Pankaj Pachauri, communications adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.

In the letter, Pachauri has complained that the journalist, "despite all lines of conversations open", never "got in touch with us for our side of the story though you regularly talk to me about information from the PMO. This story thus becomes totally one-sided."

Pachauri referred to the journalist, Simon Denyer's remark that his request for an interview was declined, and said his mail had clearly stated that the interview was being declined 'till the monsoon session' of Parliament which gets over on Friday.

With regard to the quote attributed to former media adviser to the PM Sanjaya Baru, Pachauri stated that the latter has complained that Denyer 'rehashed and used' an eight-month-old quote from an Indian magazine.

"We expected better from the correspondent of Washington Post, (known) for (its) fair and unbiased reporting," the letter stated.