————S. A. Hemanth———-
Bengaluru, February 15: The Karnataka Congress has described the It raids on BBC offices as “reprehensible” and “politics of vendetta”
In an exclusive chat with The Newz Peg, Congress leader Prof Radhakrishna said the immediate provocation for the BJP to initiate IT raids on BBC offices is its recent documentary on Gujarat riots.
“It is obvious that the BJP in general and Modi in particular does not want the dark chapter to be shown to the world. That’s the reason the government is using all tricks to browbeat the BBC” Prof Radhakrishna added.
Warning the BJP that “this sledgehammer blow and onslaught on the media will spell doom to the BJP, Prof Radhakrishna quoted a Kannada saying – vinash kaale, vipreeth buddhi – to buttress his argument.
“BBC is a reputed, international media organization. To intimidate such a media house is foolishness,” Prof Radhakrishna said and added, “this is also a way to send a stern message to other media houses to either fall in line or face action”
No government agency dare to take on the media house without the direction of the government. In this case, it is obvious that the Centre has engineered the raids, Prof Radhakrishna added.
Accusing the BJP of developing ‘authoritarian attitude’ and ‘totalitarian mindset’ in order to establish a vice-like grip over all establishments including the media, Prof Radhakrishna said, “I strongly feel that this IT raid on BBC is going to be the beginning of the end of BJP show in the country”
EOM
