Media should apologise to CM for Badaun reporting: Azam Khan

With the Central Bureau of Investigation ruling out rape and murder in the Badaun case, Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has demanded that the media apologise to the state chief minister over its "irresponsible" coverage of the incident.

The UP government had drawn severe flak after the bodies of the cousins were found hanging from a tree, with the families alleging that they were gangraped and murdered.

However, after a 6-month probe the CBI on Thursday said that the probe had concluded that the girls had committed suicide and that there was no sexual assault.

Khan, in a statement hit out at the media saying, "It has become necessary that media itself determines its limits and should not allow itself to rise as a challenge to democracy…and not harm the country merely for TRPs".

"It should render an unconditional apology for all its actions (which have defamed the government unnecessarily) of which the Badaun case is amongst the top, to the dedicated chief minister having a clean image through their channels," Khan said.

Khan alleged the media, especially electronic media, had "created a history of sorts in defaming the Samajwadi Party government over the Badaun case."

"This irresponsible behaviour of the media had shocked those having faith in democracy and now the CBI inquiry has given its report that the two girls had committed suicide," Khan added.