Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Shazia Ilmi on Saturday strongly defended party chief Arvind Kejriwal, sying that there is a bias against the party,and added that Kejriwal was not talking about the whole media,but a certain section of it.
"There was a clarification issued on Kejriwal's statement. There is a definite bias and prejudice in the way the AAP is being treated. There have been many channels which have been extremely responsible, objective and fair. He was not talking about all channels," Ilmi said.
"Specifically three channels were named, and if you look at them and study their news,you will find them to be biased. False news is being shown against the AAP without any proper verification," she added.
Ilmi further said that if we look at the recent opinion polls,then you will see some paid news being carried, and added that there is an evident nexus between corporate interests, news channels and the political class.
"Nobody agrees with the idea of media being sent to jail. But strict action should be taken against irresponsible media. There should be responsibility on both sides. We should not talk about the entire media, but certain channels," she said.
At a fund-raising event in Nagpur on Thursday, Kejriwal had hit out at the media saying they have been paid heavily to promote Modi. He also lashed out at the media for focusing on his security deployment, and alleged that media is sold and part of the political conspiracy against him.
He further added that if his government comes to power, he will set up an inquiry into this political conspiracy, and along with the media people, everyone involved will be sent to prison.
However, as the video went viral stirring a controversy. Later, the AAP chief denied making the remarks.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
