Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday denied allegations of handing out money to journalists in Leh on May 2 and said the issue was deliberately “planned by the anti-party elements in Kashmir and sponsored by the Congress party with political intensions to damage the image of BJP.”
“All allegations of Leh journalists are baseless andmisleading. It was supported by ‘anti-BJP elements in Kashmir’ and the Congressparty to malign the image of the BJP,” said member of legislative council and BJPLadakh incharge Vikram Randhawa, who is also accused of bribing thejournalists.
“The CCTV grab being circulated on the social media is ofthe invitation envelopes being given to reporters for the coverage of DefenceMinister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Leh on May 4. This is being shown as ifmoney is being given to them,” the MLC said.
“In Leh, we called a press conference in connection withLadakh election and the invitation envelopes being given to reporters for thecoverage of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Leh on May 4,” hesaid, adding, “Some media persons opened it and returned telling that theydon’t need special invitation, as they were already covering the event. “Butafter the event some Congress ‘minded’ journalists deliberately created hypeover it alleging that money was being given to them.”
“I am telling you the character of journalists in Leh, afterpress conference same set of journalists were with us for about one hour andrelished lavish lunch for which we paid bill of Rs 11,000,” he said, adding,”Normally when 8-10 people dine together, the bill could be 1000-2000 but theirlaunch cost us Rs 11,000. Isn’t it also a type of bribe?” Randawha asked.
“Had it been the money in envelops, the media persons shouldhave opened envelops and captured in their cameras. They had chance to exposeus red-handed but they took one day to file complaint, because they gotdirections from political bosses,” the BJP leader said.
“It was a planned move because earlier during the press conference,some Congress sponsored journalists tried to ask difficult questions but statepresident very effectively countered it,” the BJP said.
“It pained us when our own people (Jammu media) highlightedit,” he said.
“The Congress and Kashmir based anti-BJP activists arefrustrated with growing popularity of BJP. We request Jammu Press Club tocounter their lies,” Randhawa said appalling Jammu media to support BJP.
He said that party will file defamation case against Lehjournalists. “We gave them (the journalists) time to apologize but they decidedto defame us,” he said, adding that now he will like to see them in court.
Randhawa said that party leaders were ready to face any “liedetector test”, if authorities feel it was required to find the truth.
Meanwhile, Avny Lavasa, deputy commissioner Leh, who is alsoreturning officer of Ladakh Parliamentary, confirmed that they had received acomplaint from the journalists.
“We had received a complaint. We are pursuing it with thecourt since it’s a non cognizable offence,” she said, adding, “The court hasn’tordered for registering any FIR till now.”
Earlier, President of the Press Club, Leh, Morup Stanzinaccused the BJP of trying to bribe the reporters to influence the electionoutcome and shift the narrative in its favour.
A two-page letter, as a part of the complaint, signed byseveral members of the club, was submitted to the Election Commissioner on May3.
Stanzin said as it was the first instance of its kind, ithad shocked them.