Kejriwal threatens to jail the media, then denies it

Accusing the media of being "sold out", Arvind Kejriwal has threatened to send media people to jail after an inquiry into the issue if AAP comes to power.

"The whole media is sold out this time, it is a big conspiracy, it is a huge political controversy. If our government comes to power then we will set up an inquiry into this. And along with the media people, all will be sent to jail," he said, hitting out at the media for focusing on his security deployment.

Kicking off a fresh controversy, Kejriwal alleged that "heavy amounts" have been paid to promote BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi.

But he later denied having made the accusations against the media after his remarks came under attack from Congress, BJP and CPI.

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"Since the last one year, we have been told that Modi is here, Modi is there. Since one year, Modi has also been saying that. Even some TV channels have been saying that 'Ram Rajya' has come and corruption has vanished...

"Why did they do it? Because money has been paid to TV channels? Heavy amounts have been paid to promote Modi," Kejriwal alleged in a video aired by a TV channel.

"Around 800 farmers have committed suicide in Gujarat in the past 10 years, but none of the channels showed it," he alleged and added that farmers have sold their land to a company for just "one rupee but even this has not been shown by any channel".

However, as the video went viral, the AAP leader denied making the remarks.

"I didn't say that. I didn't say anything. How can I be upset with you (media)," he said. 

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Slamming Kejriwal for his remarks, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "I was aghast to see Kejriwal speaking at a Nagpur rally that the whole media is sold out to Modi. And more than that he said if we come to power, we will institute an inquiry and put all media persons in jail.

"This is a fascist tendency and emergency mindset. He is working for Congress... He is not speaking about Rahul Gandhi or Congress. He is only targeting Modi because he wants to get mileage out of it. His mindset is revealed--they are Maoists in urban outfit."

Another BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "The media made him a hero overnight. And now he is sending the same media to jail. It is for the media what to do with such an organisation".

He also questioned the sources of the funds the AAP was getting from.

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Accusing Kejriwal of running away from governance, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, "He can't do anything to the media because media is competent".

CPI leader D Raja said that the AAP leader has been making "hyperbolic statements" in the recent past.

"I don't know what is his tactics but certain things, which Kejriwal has been saying today, the Left has been saying for long... The corporate houses are fully backing Modi and Kejriwal is speaking such things. And even in the case of Kejriwal, he had the support of the media at one point of time".