Shinde threatens to 'crush' electronic media indulging in anti-Cong propaganda

Stoking a controversy, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde threatened to "crush" the electronic media, alleging a section of it was unnecessarily provoking the Congress party by indulging in "false propaganda" against it.

The outburst by Shinde, a Congress leader who hails from Maharashtra's Sholapur district, came at a Youth Congress event at Solapur last evening.

Shinde, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Sholapur, alleged that since the last four months a section of the electronic media is "manipulating" news about him and his party and warned it would be "crushed" if this kind of reportage is not stopped immedidately.

"What is happening in the electronic media largely I am aware of it. In the last four months there have been efforts by the media to provoke us (Congress). We will crush such elements in the electronic media, which are indulging in false propaganda, if it did not stop" he said.

"I have the intelligence department under me. I know who is doing such things. I know what is happening. Some forces are behind this," he added.

Shinde's remarks came against the backdrop of a series of opinion polls in the national and regional media which predicted a poor showing for the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Urging the media to focus on positive stories, which will be welcomed by the people, Shinde said the people of the country will not accept those dividing the country by disturbing society.

Shinde's attack against electronic media came even as the Editors Guild of India on Monday objected to "unsubstantiated charges" levelled by public figures dissatisfied with the coverage of their activities or with criticism.

The Guild expressed its view against the backdrop of attack on media by AAP leadere Arvind Kejriwal and former Army Chief Gen VK Singh, it appealed to political leaders and public figures not to resort to "vague, unsubstantiated charges of corrupt motives and abuses when refuting, questioning or criticising the media and keep the public discourse civil and within reasonsable bounds."