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`Jayalalithaa did not make the demand'

By Manas Dasgupta

AHMEDABAD APRIL 19. The Defence Minister and convener of the National Democratic Alliance, George Fernandes, has claimed that the media has been distorting reports about the differences among the partners of the National Democratic Alliance over the demand for the removal of Narendra Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister.

Answering questions at a get-together with the members of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, Mr. Fernandes said the media often distorted the stand taken by some of the NDA partners in Gujarat's context.

Citing the stand taken by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK leader, Jayalalithaa, on the issue, he said that while the media reported that she demanded Mr. Modi's removal, the AIADMK leader in Parliament told the NDA leaders that she did not make such a demand — she had merely said in reply to a query by newspersons that it would be good if Mr. Modi resigned in view of the riot situation.

Mr. Fernandes was responding to a series of complaints made by the Chamber leaders that a section of the media was sending a "distorted image'' of the State by highlighting only the negative points and ignoring the positive developments, including the conduct of peaceful elections in over 1,700 village panchayats. The "interference'' by some NDA partners in the affairs of the State was also affecting the restoration of normality. "That is why I have come here personally to review the situation,'' Mr. Fernandes said adding contrary to media reports he had also found that the attendance of the minority students in the on-going secondary and higher secondary examinations was "almost cent per cent.''

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