Editors Guild slams BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya for 'offensive' online poll on journalist
New Delhi, Dec 28: The Editors Guild of India slammed BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya on Saturday for running an "offensive" online poll on journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, calling for its withdrawal and urging the ruling party to strongly caution its functionary over the matter.
Malviya conducted a poll on his Twitter handle on Friday, asking whether "Rajdeep Sardesai should handle PR for ISIS." He gave four options for Twitter users to vote -- agree, strongly agree, disagree and he is irrelevant.
In a statement, the Editors Guild said it had noted with deep dismay the "deplorable act" of Malviya, the head of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) information technology cell, in which he conducted an offensive, McCarthyist social media "poll" on Sardesai.
"The poll on Twitter was not only tasteless, it also questioned the integrity and patriotism of Mr Sardesai, who is a journalist of standing and a former President of the Editors Guild of India," it said.
The Twitter poll by the national head of BJP's IT cell also raised questions on the party's commitment to healthy debates and dissent without allowing disagreement to degenerate into abuse, it added.
The guild urged Malviya to immediately withdraw the so-called Twitter poll and the BJP to caution him strongly.
The Editors Guild of India has issued a statement pic.twitter.com/dFrGYuTYJq
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) December 28, 2019
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No 'jealousy' against Vijay, meeting with Stalin was friendship call, says Rajini
Chennai (PTI): Superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday denied he was "jealous" about Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and clarified that his recent meeting with DMK president M K Stalin was "purely" a friendship call and not done with any political motive.
Talking to reporters at his Poes Garden residence here, and responding to some reports, the top star made it clear that the meeting with the former chief minister Stalin was not an attempt to hinder Vijay's chief ministerial aspirations or merge political parties.
Dismissing that he had any envy towards TVK founder and chief minister Vijay, the "Jailer" star said there was a 25-year generational gap between him and the CM and commended Vijay's impressive achievements at a young age, which he said surpassed even those of the legendary MGR (MG Ramachandran) and NTR (N T Rama Rao). MGR and NTR, the two matinee idols from Tamil and Telugu cinema had gone on to become CM of Tamil Nadu and the then undivided Andhra Pradesh, respectively.
"I have seen Vijay since a young age. Why would I be jealous if he had become CM. That too at a young age of 52, he has achieved more than MGR and NTR... I have no envy at all," he added.
Rajinikanth also congratulated Vijay, whose TVK won 108 seats to form government after getting support from Congress, VCK, Left parties and IUML after the April 23 elections defeating Dravidian majors -- DMK and AIADMK.
The superstar further said that he did not enter politics due to health reasons and advised his fans to support any political party of their choice.
Rajinikanth also urged the people to grant Vijay a two-year period to establish himself.
