PRESS STATEMENT BY BJP VICE PRESIDENT
SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI

BJP Vice President Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today charged the Congress Party for making “Doordarshan into a Congress Darshan Channel.” In a statement issued today, Shri Naqvi said that yesterday’s live coverage of the AICC session in Delhi and in particular the speeches of Smt Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on the official state channel Doordarshan, was a clear indication about how the Congress party was willing to go to any extent to misuse the government’s electronic media machinery for its own political gains.

The BJP Vice President pointed out that it was truly unfortunate that while the election process was already on in both Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the Congress Party was misusing the government machinery for its own propaganda purposes. He further pointed out that that the manner in which Doordarshan was being misused by the Congress Party at the AICC session, was clearly indicative about how the official electronic channel would be completely misused over the next few months when elections to many state assemblies and the Lok Sabha would take pace.

Shri Naqvi said that the BJP would strongly oppose the political misuse of the state apparatus and ensure that all political parties get a level playing field on the state media network.

Shri Naqvi requested the Election Commission to take serious note about the misuse of the Doordarshan network particular since the Model Code of Conduct was in operation in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. This was critical since Doordarshan reached the remotest corners of the country and such telecasts could influence the minds of the electorate while the election process was already on in these states.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge