Indian External Affairs minister S.M. Krishna has filed a civil defamation suit against the Press Trust of India (PTI) over its report saying he “appeared absentminded and had to be prodded to make a statement” on the Sri Lankan situation in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The agency had reported: “A mild flutter was created in the Lok Sabha today when... Krishna appeared absentminded and had to be prodded to make a statement. When Speaker Meira Kumar called him to make a statement... Krishna was engaged in conversation (at) the aisle... He failed to find a copy of the statement... Some opposition members were seen sarcastically congratulating Krishna.”
Sources close to him claimed PTI made the story knowing well that Krishna was in the Rajya Sabha and had just rushed to the Lok Sabha. “He had rushed to give suo moto statement on Sri Lanka he waited for MoS Preneet Kaur to give his file,” a source clarified, adding “ this is the second time PTI has planted articles”.
Krishna’s lawyer called the report “false and malicious” and asked for a public apology.
The PTI wrote on Friday: “This is perhaps the first time a minister has threatened a news organisation with... action for reporting (House) proceedings despite the Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act.”