The Hindu : BJP accuses media of biased coverage

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 03, 2002

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BJP accuses media of biased coverage

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL 2. The Bharatiya Janata Party today said the media had not adequately projected the positive aspects of the Gujarat Government's handling of the riot situation in the State noted by the National Human Rights Commission in its report and that unless there was "political bias'' (on the part of the media)'', such unwarranted comments as have been made on the handling of the situation by the Gujarat Government could not have been made.''

The party president, Jana Krishnamurthi, today admitted to only some "deficiencies and drawbacks and even some human failures'' in dealing with the situation, but added "no other Government could have handled it better.'' The signal was clear — Mr. Modi had done no wrong and there was no question of dropping him.

The party totally ruled out the question of placing Gujarat under President's rule, even as it defended the Centre against any charge of applying double standards when it was pointed out that Bihar had been placed under President's rule following incidents of caste massacres. Mr. Krishnamurthi said Bihar had been placed under President's rule because the High Court had observed that there was "jungle raj'' in the State. And, separately, the party general secretary, Sunil Shastri, said he could not remember off-hand the reason for the Government recommending President's rule for the State. "Can you remember what appeared in your newspaper on June 28, 1956,'' he asked in response to a question.

The party stated categorically that there was no need to get a new mandate in Gujarat — elections would be held when due next year.

Going back to the NHRC report, Mr. Shastri said the commission had noted the many instances of individual initiative taken by collectors and district officials towards relief, rescue and rehabilitation measures for victims of the riots. It had also appreciated the "positive steps'' taken by some of these officials and non-government organisations to ameliorate the sufferings of the victims.

The report had also noted that the State Government had not given any guidelines to departments as to which cases should be registered under POTO. However, Mr. Shastri did not deny that POTO had been applied to the accused in the Godhra violence and withdrawn later after press reports appeared.

He said the cases were withdrawn as the Government had received "legal advice'' to defer applying POTO till investigations were over.

Mr. Shastri added that the commission had noted "parity'' in paying compensation to victims. The decision had been taken on March 9 after receiving a letter "on behalf of kar sevaks" that they would welcome Rs. 1 lakh compensation instead of the Rs. 2 lakhs announced earlier.

It was not explained how different family members of the victims got together to submit one letter collectively. Nor was it explained that some of those who had died were not kar sevaks but ordinary passengers who happened to be in the coach, which was burnt killing nearly 60 occupants, including women and children.

The BJP said the commission had suggested that the media exercise self-restraint when reporting matters of a volatile nature to ensure that passions were not further inflamed.

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