Letter to the Hoot: Unfair charge
For a site dedicated to media criticism, the least we expect is that you do some sort of fact checking. The Hindu -- under Mr. N. Ram's editorship -- extensively highlighted the allegations against RIL over KG basin gas.
SIDDHARTH VARADARAJAN responds to ‘Visible change’ on the Hoot. Pix: Jaipal Reddy
You have been very unfair to Mr Ram in this Hoot snippet:
Visible change
Posted/Updated Monday, Oct 29 11:55:57, 2012
Posted/Updated Monday, Oct 29 11:55:57, 2012
Several papers and a TV channel have reported that Petroleum minister Jaipal Reddy losing his portfolio had a lot to do with his refusal to give in to pressure from Reliance Industries on gas pricing and other issues. But The Hindu’s prominent front page story on the issue is interesting for another reason. It would not have been carried under the editorship of N Ram which saw very careful reporting on the Ambanis.
For a site dedicated to media criticism, the least we expect is that you do some sort of fact checking.
The Hindu -- under Mr. N. Ram's editorship -- extensively highlighted the allegations against RIL over KG basin gas. I know because as Chief of National Bureau at the time, I discussed the matter extensively with him, and I can place on record that he kept pushing me to get the full text of the CAG's damning report on gold-plating by RIL in the KG basin as quickly as possible. Our Oil and Gas Correspondent Sujay Mehdudia wrote most of the pieces, all of which were run prominently by Mr Ram during his tenure on P1, Oped or the lead national news or business page.
Here is just a smattering of those reports, all of which date back to 2011. Mr. Ram, incidentally, was Editor-in-Chief till January 19, 2012.
With CAG storm brewing for RIL, Jaipal meets Manmohan
The CAG has come down heavily on the working of the Petroleum Ministry as well as the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and their “dubious role'' in giving “undue benefit” to Mukesh Ambani's RIL.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2103829.ece
RIL got ‘huge, undue benefit' at taxpayers' expense
http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/14/stories/2011061460380100.htm
CAG rejects RIL claim on inadequate time for response
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/cag-rejects-ril-claim-on-inadequate-time-for-response/article2296200.ece?service=mobile
The indulgence which turned gas into gold
Rajya Sabha MP Tapan Sen wants the “nexus” between the Manmohan Singh government and Reliance Industries Ltd. investigated.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/article2509781.ece
CAG indicts RIL, Oil Ministry and DGH for violations in KG basin
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/article2437626.ece
‘PMO turned blind eye to repeated warnings on Reliance, Cairn'
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2105028.ece
While I thank you for acknowledging The Hindu's lead role in highlighting the Reliance factor in Jaipal Reddy's ouster from the Petroleum Ministry, your statement that such reporting would not have been possible during Mr Ram's tenure as Editor is unfair and -- as the brief list of stories provided above shows -- simply untrue.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2103829.ece
RIL got ‘huge, undue benefit' at taxpayers' expense
http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/14/stories/2011061460380100.htm
CAG rejects RIL claim on inadequate time for response
http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/cag-rejects-ril-claim-on-inadequate-time-for-response/article2296200.ece?service=mobile
The indulgence which turned gas into gold
Rajya Sabha MP Tapan Sen wants the “nexus” between the Manmohan Singh government and Reliance Industries Ltd. investigated.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/interview/article2509781.ece
CAG indicts RIL, Oil Ministry and DGH for violations in KG basin
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-business/article2437626.ece
‘PMO turned blind eye to repeated warnings on Reliance, Cairn'
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2105028.ece
While I thank you for acknowledging The Hindu's lead role in highlighting the Reliance factor in Jaipal Reddy's ouster from the Petroleum Ministry, your statement that such reporting would not have been possible during Mr Ram's tenure as Editor is unfair and -- as the brief list of stories provided above shows -- simply untrue.
Siddharth Varadarajan
Editor
The Hindu
859-860 Mount Road
Chennai - 600 002
Chennai - 600 002
October 30, 2012