BJP strong man Narendra Modi on Sunday condemned the Congress for mismanaging the country and for banning a local television channel from covering its events.
Speaking at the sideline of an event organized by BJP Mahila Morcha in Gandhinagar, the Gujarat chief minister reproved the Opposition party's ban on coverage by regional channel TV 9, accusing it of being 'intolerant' to criticism.
Modi brought up the issue of Gujarat state Congress sending a circular to TV 9 directing Congress members not to participate in any of the events or programs organized by the channel which is largely supported by the BJP in the state.
An excerpt of the circular published by India Today read "While the entire media of the country hailed Congress's Ghar Nu Ghar as a success, this channel showed the chaos, which took -place in one or two centers and ran it for three, four days."
Modi also reminded the gathering at the event of the 1975 emergency which curbed the fundamental rights of citizens, and in the present situation the government's move to block Twitter accounts of journalists criticizing the Congress. He also said that the ban on TV 9 came after the channel disclosed the scene behind 'ghar nu ghar' scheme- a scheme for the housing of poor announced by Congress to take over BJP in the Assembly poll which is likely to happen in December.
"Remember the days of Indira Gandhi, when she attacked democracy. There was widespread fear of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), which was repealed in 1977. People were jailed, but they voted her out," he said according to Press Trust of India.
Modi also added that in a democracy tolerance is a very vital element and those who fear criticism do not have the right to project themselves as protectors of the nation. He also urged the election commission to intervene in the matter to find out the reason behind the ban on the channel.
In addition, he also insisted that the women in the BJP wing should corner the Congress in the coming Assembly elections."Congress is campaigning for 'change of direction, change of situation' in Gujarat. But due to the bad direction of the Congress, our country is in a ba d situation at present. You will not let that atmosphere of 'durdasha' enter our soil," he said.
