New Delhi, April 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday advised BJP leaders not to give "masala" to the media by getting into every issue as soon as they saw camerapersons, saying such "mistakes" affect the country, party and the individual's image.
"Often, our workers say that the media is doing this, the media is doing that. Sometimes, they also claim that certain news is given more air time. But have we ever thought that it is our mistakes that sometimes provide them 'masala' (fodder)," the Prime Minister said during an interaction with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and MLAs through the Narendra Modi mobile app.
He also suggested to the party leaders not to blame the media for reporting their statements as due to their own mistakes the real issue gets diverted.
"We rush to do an analysis of any big topic as soon as we see the cameras. It is not the media's fault -- we have to control ourselves. Only those who have a responsibility to speak should speak to the media. If everyone starts speaking, then the issue gets diverted and it affects the country, the party and our individual image," said Modi.
The Prime Minister said that the ruling party leaders should only speak about the issues they are expected to and they should not get into every issue.
Recalling some controversial statements made by some party MPs during the early years of his government, he said: "Initially, when we formed the government, there were a few MPs -- around 8-10 -- they would speak a lot. I spoke to them and I have seen in the last three years, they have stopped giving statements."
He said that only those given the responsibility should talk and issue/give statements but "we should not get into all things. We should not stand in front of the camera to guide the country".
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Punjab: Two shooters, 5 others arrested in AAP sarpanch murder case
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Police on Monday said it has arrested two shooters and five other accused in the murder case of an AAP sarpanch who was killed at a wedding in Amritsar on January 4.
The two shooters -- Sukhraj Singh alias Ganga from Patti in Tarn Taran district and Karamjit Singh from Gurdaspur district -- were arrested from Raipur in Chhattisgarh on Sunday in coordination with the local police and central agencies, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav told reporters here.
The two were produced before a court in Raipur and taken into custody after obtaining transit remand. They are being brought to Amritsar for further investigation, he said.
The other five arrested accused, who were part of the support and logistical module, were arrested from Punjab, the DGP said.
Jharmal Singh, sarpanch of Valthoa village in Tarn Taran, was shot dead at the wedding at point-blank range.
CCTV footage showed the two shooters walking into the wedding venue, one of them pulling out a gun and firing at Singh's head before fleeing the spot. Singh was rushed to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Soon after the incident, the AAP government drew flak from the opposition over alleged deteriorating law and order in Punjab, with the BJP demanding Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's resignation.
