JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday alleged that the BJP and the government-run by it at the Centre are suppressing the media, which only shows debates on religious polarisation while ignoring real issues.
Gehlot said this expressing concern over India's ranking in the Press Freedom Index, in which country stood at 150th spot among 180 nations.
"This indicates the misery of the Indian media," Gehlot tweeted, adding that the media should not come under the pressure of the central government and support people.
He said since Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government came into power at the Centre in 2014, there has been a "vicious cycle of media suppression".
The media is completely running at the behest of the central government, BJP and RSS, he alleged.
"There is so much fear in the media that instead of showing the truth with fairness and logic, the coverage is done in a way that that they do not face their displeasure," Gehlot said attacking the BJP.
"Today, there is huge resentment among people due to inflation and unemployment but there is no discussion in the media on this. They only show debates related to religious polarisation," the CM said.
Gehlot said the public will support the media once it starts taking up their issues.
"Then the central government will not have the courage to curb the media as it is doing presently," Gehlot said.