Published Aug 05, 2026 | 3:02 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 05, 2026 | 3:02 PM
Priyank Kharge
Synopsis: The Press Trust of India has issued an apology to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge for “misinterpreting” his remarks on student protests against the alleged irregularities in the state’s police recruitment examinations. In a statement, the news agency said it was caused by a human error on their side. However, Kharge dismissed the apology, saying the damage has already been done.
In a rare incident, the Press Trust of India, one of the most prominent news agencies in the country, issued an apology to Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge for “misinterpreting” his remarks regarding the BJP’s demands for his resignation over the protests against alleged irregularities in the police recruitment exams in the state.
In the statement issued on August 4, the news agency apologised for the human error on their end that caused a “misunderstanding” regarding Kharge’s remarks.
“This is regarding the misunderstanding caused over your remarks to the media on August 3, 2026. It is unfortunate that a human error at our end resulted in such a misunderstanding. We have taken corrective steps, including rectifying the mistake as well as seeking an explanation from the person concerned. We apologise for the error. We hope you will consider this matter as closed,” the statement issued by the agency’s Visual Media Editor Shazi Zaman read.
The issue stems from the PTI report on a remark Kharge made on August 3 regarding the BJP’s demands for his resignation over the protests.
When he was asked whether he would resign, yielding to the BJP demands, Kharge replied, “Yes, I will resign, but first let them go on a hunger strike for 25 days. If they don’t control, then we will do a lathi charge, and then I will resign… just like how they did for..” apparently referring to the violent police action against the CJP protesters.
He also questioned why ministers in the previous governments led by the BJP did not resign over irregularities in the examinations.
The statement was, however, reported by the PTI and carried by several media outlets, implying that Kharge had asked the aspirants to go on a hunger strike. It went viral on social media and triggered a political storm with several people criticising Kharge and the Congress government’s approach towards the protesting students.
Also Read: Confusion mars police constable recruitment exam at Vijayapura, aspirants demand re-test
Later, in a post on X, Kharge called out PTI for “peddling fake news” regarding his remarks. The minister clarified that he was referring to the BJP leaders and not the protesting students.
“As usual, Godi Media is peddling fake news by deliberately distorting my remarks. The question put to me was: “The BJP and the Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, are demanding your resignation over the Vijayapura incident. What do you have to say?” My response was clear: If the BJP is willing to sit on a 25-day hunger strike demanding my resignation, I will consider it. My remarks were directed solely at the BJP’s political theatrics and not at students,” he said.
“Unlike the BJP, which turned Vidhana Soudha into Vyapara Soudha during the PSI recruitment scam, our Government is committed to ensuring transparency, accountability and fairness in every recruitment examination we conduct,” the minister said, adding that he has ordered the investigative agencies to take action against the news organisations and individuals responsible for “deliberately spreading this misinformation.”
Interestingly, a day after Kharge posted on X, the PTI on August 4, shared it and wrote: “UPDATE WITH CORRECTION | Mr Priyank Kharge’s statement was misinterpreted and the word “aspirants” was inadvertently ascribed to him in an earlier X post (August 3, 2026). We have withdrawn the post. The error is deeply regretted.”
The apology followed.
Reacting to the apology, Kharge said the damage has already been done, as the misinformation has been amplified by political parties and content creators across platforms.
“The damage has already been done, @PTI_News. What is the use of your apology? This misinformation wasn’t amplified only by political parties. It has also been picked up and spread by independent content creators across social media, including @lakhshya_speaks. Who is going to undo the damage now? How many creators can realistically be held accountable for spreading misinformation once it has gone viral? Responsible journalism is increasingly becoming a myth in India,” Kharge wrote in an X post.
(Compiled by Fayisa CA)
