Students, Minorities & Media Living in Fear Under BJP: Chidambaram

“Most channels are cheerleaders and most newspapers today are mute. It is a sad state of affairs in a democracy.”

Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram alleged on Sunday that the BJP government at the centre had sparked an environment of fear.

Dalits are living in fear, minorities are living in fear, students and universities are in fear. Media is also in fear.

P Chidambaram, Congress Leader

The veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra, who is currently campaigning for the BMC elections – slated for 21 February – made the comments at a function in a western Mumbai suburb.

Chidambaram alleged that the media had become "stingy" while covering parties other than the BJP.

Also Read: The Quint Exclusive: P Chidambaram Takes on the Modi Government

Coming down heavily on the fourth pillar of democracy, he said:

Most channels today are cheerleaders and most newspapers today are mute. It is a sad state of affairs in a democracy.

However, he praised the regional media for being more independent than the national media.

Several “direct and indirect pressures” were being exerted on media, Chidambaram alleged, citing the example of a news channel that had refused to air an interview with him at the last minute. 

Clearly, the message is that behave yourself. If there is too much criticism, the government is watching you. I sincerely hope that the media will shake off its fear. Media constantly preaches that in a vibrant democracy people must speak their mind but first media must speak out its mind.

P Chidambaram, Congress Leader