NEW DELHI: The AAP Wednesday issued a media advisory asking journalists to take quotes from "authorised spokespersons only" failing which it said they will be treated as "imaginary and false", a move that drew criticism from the BJP and the Congress.
"It has been noticed of late that sections of the media have been attributing quotes to anonymous sources from the Aam Aadmi Party. The party takes exception to this and makes it categorically clear that the AAP will contradict and send rejoinders to these anonymous quotes, which are clearly unauthorised. The AAP has a clear policy of authorised spokespersons to talk to the media. Therefore, media friends are requested to take the party's stand from the authorised spokespersons only. Any unauthorised anonymous quotes will be treated by the party as imaginary and false," the advisory read.
Hitting out at the AAP over this, Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari said this move was an attempt to muzzle the press.
"This is muzzling the freedom of press and also threatening journalists who report in an unbiased manner. After murdering democracy in his party, @ArvindKejriwal is trying to scare reporters. People know the truth. On May 12, the people will teach them a lesson by handing them a crushing defeat," Tiwari said in a tweet.
Lok Sabha election in Delhi will be held on May 12. The Congress too termed it as an autocratic attitude towards media and an attack on democracy.
"They (reporters) have have their sources whose sanctity is maintained by them at any cost. Media is one of the most important pillars of democracy, this move is an attack on democracy. AAP should be ashamed of what it has tried to do," Delhi Congress spokesperson Jitendra Kochar said.