New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked BJP leaders not to make “irresponsible” statements, providing “masala” to the media. Such comments hurt the party’s image, the prime minister told his colleagues.
In an interaction with the party’s MPs, MLAs and other representatives, Modi said leaders at times jump to make statements in front of the media and end up providing “masala” (fodder to controversies). There is then no point in blaming the media for such controversies, he said.
“Don’t blame the media. It is doing its job. It’s our job to not get entangled in every thing and guide the nation on every issue by standing in front of the TV. Those with the responsibility of speaking on the issue will do it,” he said.
Touching on the subject of some party leaders making embarrassing comments, Modi said his remarks might seem bitter but must be made.
“At times our workers talk a lot about the media doing this, media doing that. But have we thought that we end up giving masala to the media with our mistakes? As if we are some social scientists or scholars who can analyse every problem. The moment we see a cameraperson we rush to make a statement. The media will use the part which it finds useful. It is not its fault. We will have to restrain ourselves,”
The most recent example in a long list of such embarrassing and ludicrous comments has come from Tripura’s newly appointed BJP chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb
“Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. Sanjaya (the charioteer of king Dhritarashtra) using the technology gave a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra,” Deb said while inaugurating a two-day workshop on computerisation of the public distribution system.
In a video interaction with MPs and MLAs posted on Modi’s website, the prime minister told them that if everybody makes comments, it ends up harming the nation’s, party’s and their personal image.
This is not the first time Modi has told BJP leaders to be careful while speaking to the media. Soon after being sworn in in 2014, the prime minister told the elected MPs that they should publicly raise issues only around their own constituencies, and not as if they are party spokespersons.