'Save The Hindu'

Dear Sir:
As you are aware, the members of Friends of Tibet, its supporters and the concerned readers of The Hindu has initiated a nation-wide campaign called 'Save The Hindu' from May 1, 2006. We look at this campaign as an attempt to save the newspaper and also to expose Xinhua - the official propaganda agency of the Chinese government.

Ever since Mr N Ram has taken charge as the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu on July 1, 2003, we had written and emailed him a number of times requesting him not to publish Xinhua propaganda stories especially the ones targeted at the Tibetan Government-in-exile and the institution of HH the Dalai Lama. We have learned that The Hindu editorial team in Chennai led by Mr N Ram has instructed various centres of the newspaper not to publish any news items criticising the policies of the Chinese government and also on Tibet, Dalai Lama, Falun Gong. The Hindu continues to publish unedited versions of Xinhua stories to fool its serious readers on a daily basis.

We believe that it is immoral from the side of an Editor to drag some of the eminent journalists to do ethically-wrong-reporting for The Hindu and Frontline and also to use a democratic forum - freedom of the press - to advance the cause of an autocratic regime. We request you to have a look at our concerns and STOP publishing reports filed by Xinhua, world's largest propaganda news-agency belonging to the Chinese Communist Party.