AAP govt to monitor news channels’ content
In another sign of its disenchantment with the media, the AAP government has decided to closely monitor all the news channels while chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked it to spare wives and children of party leaders from being dragged into controversies.
In a first, an order has been issued to the Directorate of Information and Publicity ( DIP) to monitor the news channels from 9 am to 11 pm. DIP officials till now used to only keep records of newspapers cuttings related to the government.
“DIP officials have been asked to start monitoring the content of news channels related to the govern- ment and send a daily report on these contents broadcast by them to chief minister’s office ( CMO),” a top government official said.
The order by the AAP government came days after Mr Kejriwal accused the media of being part of a “conspiracy to finish off AAP” and advocated its “public trial”.
Continuing his attack on a section of the media, Mr Kejriwal accused it of maligning AAP and singling out children and wives of party leaders.
Describing personal attacks on his colleague Kumar Vishwas as “despicable,” Delhi Mr Kejriwal on Tuesday sought to defend Mr Vishwas, saying, “Everyone is saying there is no illicit relationship.”
The chief minister refused to say anything more on the controversy that on Tuesday led to resignation of a member of the Delhi Commission for Women.
Attacking the media, Mr Kejriwal said, “Why are you ( media) targeting our children and wives?”
He also questioned the media for running the story even after Mr Vishwas and the AAP volunteer had denied any illicit relationship. “Both of them are saying there is no illicit relationship, but still TV channels are running all sorts of things. Even Mr Kumar’s daughter is unable to attend school as she is facing questions there,” the chief minister added.
Mr Kejriwal that the Aam Aadmi Party would prefer to be silent as families of party leaders were being targeted in the name of politics. “You may have a fight against us, against our political stand. Do not drag our families and children into this. I am extremely disappointed over all this,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal said his party would keep away from some media houses. “Some media houses are trying to malign us. We have decided to keep quiet now and will not respond any more. We will answer your questions if you ask about our governance or our work. The way Kumar Vishwas and his family were targeted by the media, I think it was despicable,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal said the issue had hit Mr Vishwas and his family hard.
Meanwhile, Mr Vishwas who is flying to the United States on Wednesday, accused the BJP of trying to defame him. “Whatever is happening is the handiwork of the BJP’s dirty minds department. Why is the police not acting against those who are abusing her on social media?” he asked.