BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticises Kumbh coverage by Asianet News, in which he has stake: Report
Thiruvananthapuram: Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former minister of state for the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, expressed dissatisfaction with remarks made about the Maha Kumbh in a recent programme aired by Asianet News, a Malayalam TV channel he owns.
During the March 1 episode of Cover Story, a weekly programme on Asianet News, the channel appeared to take a dig at people from Kerala who attended the Kumbh and participated in the dip at the Triveni Sangam, as reported by The Indian Express on Wednesday.
"Hundreds of people from Kerala took part in the Ganga snan. Hindu sentiments, interest in rituals, and the Kumbh mela snan, which were not prevalent until now, have emerged in a state where CPI(M) is ruling. Even when Kerala is claiming to be 100 percent literate, Kumbh mela snan and propitiating BJP are favourite matters for a lot of Keralites," it said.
The programme also showed visuals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a dip in the Ganga, commenting: "Good advertisement, good business and good PR. When all came together, the Kumbh mela turned into a favourite here in Kerala too."
In response, Chandrasekhar took to Facebook, sharing that several Malayalees had reached out to him, expressing that they were hurt by the programme's content. "They felt the programme was ridiculing the Kumbh Mela. My family was among crores of devotees who participated in the Maha Kumbh mela. I have brought this to the attention of those at the helm of Asianet News. I have asked them that there should not be such careless, sarcastic remarks about such an event, which is attended by lakhs of devotees," he wrote.
Chandrasekhar also stressed that faith is essential to all Hindus, including those in Kerala, and called for respect for religious sentiments. "As in any religion, faith is important for every Hindu. We, crores of Hindus across the country, including Kerala, want that to be respected," he stated.
The BJP's relationship with Asianet News has been tense in the past. In 2015, the state unit of the BJP announced a boycott of the channel, accusing it of being dominated by "journalists with Left background".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
If you have a conscience, apologize to the people: R Ashoka slams Yathindra over Nalwadi comparison
Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.
