NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari does not agree that the Press Council of India lacks teeth, but has stressed that certain issues should be best left to self-regulation by the media bodies.

The Minister, who said the matter relating to paid news was pending before the Inter-Ministerial Committee of his Ministry, was reacting to demands by several members of Parliament over the issue of paid news and content shown on news channels.

"When some of our members were caught accepting money for asking questions during a sting operation, their membership was terminated. Their career was ruined. But no action has been taken after this sting operation. The licence of this channel should be cancelled," Lal Singh, a Congress MP said. He complained that news channels show objectionable content.

Speaking on the issue, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) said that when a demand was being made to bring even the Prime Minister under Lokpal, accountability of print and electronic media should be fixed and the Press Council of India be given more powers. ?Why have you kept such a creature (PCI) which has no teeth... A tiger (media) has been unleashed. The coal scam has been set aside... These channels are showing crude dances. Either give more teeth to PCI or close it down," Yadav said.

Tewari said the Zee TV issue was in court and therefore was sub judice.