Press Council Nepal has demanded public apology from ABC Television for broadcasting an interview of Madhesi rights activist CK Raut.

A meeting of the council’s code of conduct monitoring sub-committee on Thursday ordered the news channel to apologise before public, claiming that the views expressed by Raut in the interview stoked social disharmony and threatened the country’s sovereignty.

According to the council’s decision, the talk show “ABC Watch” aired on March 30 violated the Section 4 (1) Code of Journalistic Ethics-2003 (amended and revised-2008)  

Meanwhile, ABC Television, has said that the person giving the interview should be responsible for his or her views and the media should have freedom in disseminating opinions and expression of any nature.

Raut is a controversial

figure to emerge from the Tarai in the run up to the constitution promulgation and the subsequent protest in

several Tarai districts. He has been accused many times of fomenting sedition and arrested for his views.