In response to Asianet News’s attempt to instigate other channels against BJP

Following Boycott call by BJP ; Asianet News Channel urged their Media Brethren to Boycott BJP. Following is a Rebuttal to claims by Asianet News justifying their stance

In Response to Asianet
 
Asianet Claim 1: The decision taken by BJP Kerala, in boycotting Asianet News channel is one that has taken by surprise, every democratic aspect and belief. The allegation against Asianet News is that the channel has indulged in belittling India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Let us examine reality.
 
Rebuttal: Alright, let there be an analysis.
 
Asianet Claim 2: There has been a Facebook post by a youth leader of BJP that Asianet News channel has not done justice to the coverage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech delivered in Madison Square, which has been cited as reason for boycott. But the news covered by us should be observed. (A video attached herewith)
 
Rebuttal: This news has been seen by everyone.It has to be remembered that this video was the coverage given by Krishna Kishore, a thoroughly impartial version by a respectable media person.
 
Haven’t you, since the last two months, been telecasting news that has been thoroughly against the Prime Minister? Hasn’t the quality and quantity of news been one that has subjected the nation to humiliation, questioning her self- respect? Why aren’t those videos tacked along with the one you have one you have put up? Isn’t this an attempt to fool viewers?

Asianet Claim 3: Another allegation by the BJP leader is that certain news based programmes have exaggerated issues, showing them as government lapses. True, we have opposed anything that can be termed as Anti people. We shall be continuing the same too. This will include hike in the price of gas and the forsaking of the right to determine price of life saving medical drugs. In fact those experts in this field have vouched for our authenticity as well.
 
Rebuttal: Can you prove a single instance of what you claim to be ‘Modi government’s so called Anti People stance ? This is an open challenge to Asianet.
 
Issues of price hike of cooking gas and forsaking of rights to determine price of life saving medical drugs are nothing but products of your fantasy. There is not an iota of truth in your claims. Nothing but falsehood and deceit of the highest order! Is this part of what you claim to be ‘ethics of journalism’?
 
And who are these so called experts? Could well be your communist fellow travelers!
 
Asianet Claim 4: Media men have undertaken as their prime commitment and duty, to convey to citizens the backdoor reality of ‘developmental models’ and how governments handle financial scenarios during the time of globalization. Therefore for this very reason, it is anti-democratic to consider criticism as opposition. We are only exposing the background stories of financial management in this era of globalisation.

 
Rebuttal: You have all the freedom to criticize. But what you are indulged in is – spreading malicious propaganda , fabricating lies in the name of criticism, promotion of negative news against the development of a nation.
 
Asianet Claim 5: An examination must be done by them to gauge, if the stand taken by the state unit of a reputed political party possessing national stature, of boycotting a media house tows the lines of democratic culture. Asianet News has been, at various stages, been subject to censure by various political parties. But this boycotting happens to be censuring of a new kind.

Rebuttal: BJP leaders take part in party channels like Kairali, Jai Hind, Media One etc. These are channels that criticize BJP too. So if BJP decides to boycott Asianet News only, there should be ample reason for the same.
 
You ought to understand something…times have changed…People do not see it as a deficit if Asianet does not exist. In fact, in today’s media world, Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Reporter Channel stand a step ahead of you. Can you deny this?
 
Asianet Claim 6: This kind of behavior does not compliment the nature of a channel that has opposed the Emergency. The democratic conscience of a section of BJP leaders have reached a stage, where a section of media persons were shown the door at a public event convened to remember and felicitate those who fought and opposed relentlessly, the curb set on freedom of press during the period of Emergency.
 
Rebuttal:  If, as you claim, you have been shown the door, it is a gross mistake. This must be brought to the notice of BJP leaders. If they have wronged, they will not refuse or hesitate in tendering an apology.
 
Asianet Claim 7: BJP leaders should also understand that media men working in Asianet are not so bird brained to slur the person named Modi or the Prime Ministerial post.
 
Rebuttal: It is because you are bird brained that you, blinded by Modi abhorrence, decided to propagate deceit against a Prime Minister. How come none of the other channels have been doing the same? Don’t try and issue threats, stating that you are alone. You have not understood that times have changed. BJP’s ideology is not one that will crumble at Asianet’s plotting.
 
Asianet Claim 8: This is not the first time that Asianet News is being subject to unfair criticism. We have been subject to denigration over time, by leaders of both ruling and opposition parties. But they had not opposed the media-man’s freedom in functioning and his liberty in questioning mistakes and correct the same. It is a mistaken concept that media houses can be threatened and brought to task. This boycotting is not befitting of a unit embarked upon by KG Marar, which has in its forefront, luminaries like O Rajagopal.
 
Rebuttal: You are mistaken.
 
Long ago, when Asianet was boycotted, Kerala had only two media houses..Times have changed now. This is where you have faltered massively. If you feel you can set BJP leaders against each other by mentioning the names of or patriarchs, be assured that it will remain nothing but a day dream. The decision of boycotting has been taken by the leadership including O Rajagopal. And BJP knows how it has to be implemented too.
 
Post Script: Pay no heed is one of the most formidable weapons in the world. If, as you claim, there has been no wrong doing on your part, you were one of the channels basking in the forefront, you would have simply ignored the boycott and marched ahead. There would have been no reactions.
 
But you proved to be an edentulated lion yourself by lamenting about the boycot and seeking the support of fellow channels anf instigating them against BJP

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