“The Modi wave is created by the media. There is no Modi wave on the ground or among voters,” Minister Shivanand Patil said in Vijayapura on Wednesday.
“The media highlights Prime Minister Narendra Modi all the time. Media broadcasts even his routine movements like sitting down, getting up or going for a walk. The media gathers around Mr. Modi when he sweeps the floor or takes a plunge in the water. You make it look like as if no other human being in the world has done such things. The media should at least record the fact that there are other leaders alive in the world. Even that is not being done. Due to this trend, the media is part of the attempts to change history,” he said.
“It is possible that Mr. Modi is a good leader. But when the people of the country vote for the 543 members in the Lok Sabha, they consider local factors. The BJP is going around campaigning that the Opposition should not exist in a democracy and the media joins them in saying so. How can democracy survive then? The media should also have the feeling that democracy should survive in this country,” he said.
The BJP is undermining Constitutional agencies and misusing Central agencies like IT, CBI and ED and even public sector banks like SBI, the Minister claimed.
“There is no proper reporting in the mainstream media, especially TV channels, about the Electoral Bonds scheme issue. That is what hurts the most. Very few media houses reported the comments made by the Supreme Court regularly on SBI. Therefore, it does not reach the people. On the other hand, TV channels telecast things like Mr. Modi taking a walk on the beach,” he said.
Terming the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as the most unfortunate, he said that it is part of a trend being indulged in by the BJP-led Union government harassing and humiliating Opposition leaders.
“The Union government has directed Central agencies to seize the Congress bank accounts just before elections. Is that the appropriate time for such things? The BJP has been ruling for 10 years. Why was no action taken then? Why did they not realise that the Congress has made mistakes in its IT returns?” he said. “If we reach a situation where there is no place for the Opposition in this country, then there will be no difference between India and Russia,” the Minister said.
“There is an anti-BJP wave in the entire country today. We have indications that a united opposition can defeat the incumbent BJP, as in the Vajpayee era. But we are suffering because of our delay in projecting a leader from the Hindi belt. On his part, Rahul Gandhi is trying his best to lead the Congress and the Opposition,” he claimed.
“I still have a feeling that the people will take a decision that will surprise some. The Congress may even come to power. The people, especially the youth, are fed up with the BJP. They are upset over the divisive tactics of the BJP,” Mr. Patil said.
He said that the Congress will manage the reported discontent among some party leaders in Bagalkot over ticket distribution.
Responding to a statement by Veena Kashappanavar that she will fight the polls as an independent, Mr. Patil said that she is free to take any decision.
“Last time, the party nominated Veena Kashappanavar. I was seriously involved in her campaign. I tried my best. But she lost. Her husband and MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar knows it well. I have spoken to him three times now. I asked them if I can come to Bagalkot to meet them. But they have not responded. I will try again. It is natural for aspirants to feel disappointed when others are selected. But the party will accommodate them somewhere. All disappointed aspirants, including Veena Kashappanavar, will be accommodated by the party,” he said.
Ms. Kashappanavar is the wife of Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar. She was an aspirant from Bagalkot. But the party chose Mr. Shivanand Patil’s daughter Samyukta Patil as its candidate.
