Media shouldn’t carry forward agenda of opponents: Modi

Suggesting that media need not fear him, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has continued to differentiate between “news traders” and “media”, and cautioned the media against “carrying forward” charges levelled by political opponents.

“This is not your question. It is not expected from media to carry forward the agenda taken up by the political opponents. You are expected to talk about how Modi has governed (in Gujarat) for the past 14 years. There was a government where you could find only middlemen (in political corridors)… Modi’s identity is a government where you cannot find any middlemen… people of India can proudly say there is a (state) government which cannot be pressured, which can’t be managed (with money),” Modi said in response to a query regarding allegations of favouring corporates like Ambani and Adani groups during an interaction with ABP News programme ‘Ghoshnapatra’ broadcast Tuesday. “My 14-year track record speaks for me… at least people like you (media) should should not own such (allegations) things… here I am using the word media.”

Modi suggested that media should verify Gujarat’s land policy, claiming that it was praised by the Supreme Court few years ago.

While Modi did not elaborate on “news traders” category coined by him, he cited that some “news traders” ganged up after 26/11 Mumbai terror attack “to help Congress”, alleging that these news traders sought to downplay criticism of rising menace of terrorism by the opposition parties in the name of national interest. “It is for you to identify news traders,” Modi said.