Narendra Modi seeks to gag BJP's motormouth MPs, MLAs: Top 10 developments

Don't give 'masala' to media, avoid self-inflicted wounds: PM Narendra Modi to BJP MPs and MLAs in an interaction on the 'NaMo App'. Don't make irresponsible remarks, avoid trouble says PM to BJP MPs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be fed up of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders speaking out of turn, without considered thoughts, on issues that are often sensitive -- like the spate of rapes the country has seen recently, including the Kathua, Unnao, and Surat incidents. Modi expressed his displeasure on Sunday, advising BJP leaders not to provide "masala" to the media and refrain from making "irresponsible" statements by commenting on every issue as soon as they saw camerapersons. 

The prime minister said such "mistakes" affect the country, the BJP and the image of the individual concerned. His statement came after a rash of remarks by BJP leaders -- from internet in the mythical age of the Mahabharata to advice on why we should not be outraged by a few incidents of rape in a country as large as India.  

Addressing BJP MPs and MLAs via video chat through the Narendra Modi, or NaMo, mobile app from his official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the prime minister said that while BJP workers often said the media was doing this or that, their own mistakes sometimes provided the media with 'masala' (fodder). In what amounted to a gag order, ostensibly aimed at his party's members who were more prone to firmly jamming their foot in their mouth -- the latest examples being Union Minister Santosh Gangwar and Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Deb -- Modi stressed that only the people trusted with the responsibility of speaking on a topic should interact with the media, adding that the issue got diverted if everyone started speaking on the topic. 

However, Modi did not explicitly censure the contents of the controversial remarks -- some of which sparked outrage while otyhers appeared plain silly -- made by his party's members. Neither endorsing nor rejecting BJP leaders' controversial positions on various subjects, in what seemed a step to manage the party's media image, Modi limited himself to ensuring that they would keep their thoughts to themselves. The prime minister said he had spoken to the particular motormouths and that the latter had mended their ways. 

Here are the top 10 developments around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gag order against BJP's motormouth members:

1) Modi issues gag order on BJP leaders: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked BJP leaders and members to not speak out of turn on issues and to refrain from making "irresponsible" statements. 

2) Modi says our own mistakes are giving media the 'masala': Modi cautioned BJP members that there were times when their own mistakes had provided the media fodder, which had hurt the party's image. "Often, our workers say that the media is doing this, the media is doing that. Sometimes, they also claim that certain news is given more airtime. But have we ever thought that it is our mistakes that sometimes provide them 'masala' (fodder)," the Prime Minister said during an interaction with BJP MPs and MLAs. 

3) Modi says only those tasked with responsibility to address media will do so: Modi told the party leaders that "only those who have a responsibility to speak should speak to the media". Further, the Prime Minister said that the issue gets diverted if everyone starts speaking, adding that "it affects the country, the party and our individual image".   

"Designated spokespersons of the party will comment on issues when required," said the Prime Minister.  

4) Modi tells BJP leaders that the media doing its job, they should do theirs: Modi also directed party leaders to not blame the media for reporting their statements. In his address, the Prime Minister asked party workers to not comment on "every socio-political or cultural matter", adding that party leaders should not blame the media afterwards for reporting catchy "masala bits" from their statements. "We rush to do an analysis of any big topic as soon as we see the cameras. It is not the media's fault -- we have to control ourselves," said the Prime Minister. 

"The media is doing its job, and you should do yours of serving the people," said Modi.  

5) Modi recalls 8-10 MPs who stopped giving errant statements after talk with him: Modi recalled some controversial statements made by certain BJP MPs during the early days of his government. Referring to these early errant remarks, Modi said, "Initially, when we formed the government, there were a few MPs -- around 8-10 -- they would speak a lot. I spoke to them and I have seen in the past three years, they have stopped giving statements." 

6) For BJP's Santosh Gangwar, 1-2 rapes 'not a big deal': Modi's gag order came barely hours after Union Minister Santosh Gangwar on Sunday waded into a controversy, saying that "brouhaha" should not be created over one or two rape cases in a big country like India. The errant remarks come at a time when the country is witnessing public outrage over the brutal rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, which involves a BJP MLA as the key accused. Gangwar, who is BJP MP from Bareilly, holds protfolio of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment.  

"Such incidents (rape cases) are unfortunate situation...But sometimes you can't stop them. Government is active everywhere and taking action which is visible to everyone, " he told reporters in Bareilly. "In a big country like ours, if one or two incidents take place, brouhaha should not be created over it. This is not fair...Government is taking effective steps...Whatever is necessary will be done," he said. 

7) BJP's Sanjay Patil 'communalises' Karnataka polls: While Gangwar's comment, as callous as it appeared, was not linked to any upcoming electoral battle, one BJP lawmakers decided to give the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections 2018 a decidedly communal colour with his remarks. Last week, BJP MLA Sanjay Patil sparked a row, saying that the Karnataka polls were "not about roads and drinking water but about Hindu-Muslim incidents". Addressing a gathering in Karnataka's Belagavi, Patil said, "This election is not about roads, water or other issues. This election is about Hindus versus Muslims... Ram Mandir versus Babri Masjid." 

Continuing his speech, Patil said, "I am Sanjay Patil, I am Hindu, this is a Hindu Rashtra (nation) and we intend to build Ram temple." He added, "Lakshmi Hebbalikar (the Congress' candidate in the Belgaum constituency) wants to build Babri Masjid. Whoever wants Babri Masjid and Tippu Jayanthi, they should vote Congress... those who want Shivaji Maharaj and Ram Mandir should vote for BJP." Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 225-member Assembly. 

8) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has news for the US; he claims India had internet thousands of years ago: Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb's foot in mouth incident was far less offensive than Gangwar's;  however, his remarks smacked of revisionism. Last week, the Tripura Chief Minister claimed that the internet and satellites were not something new and that they existed since the times of the Mahabharata.  

Speaking at a regional workshop on computerisation and reforms at Pragna Bhawan in Agartala, Deb said that the internet was invented by India hundreds of thousands of years ago. "Internet and satellite communication had existed in the days of Mahabharata. How could Sanjaya (the charioteer of King Dhritarashtra) give a detailed account and description to the blind king about the battle of Kurukshetra? It means internet was there, the satellites and that technology was there in this country at that time," he said. 

The BJP leader said that while European nations and the United States claimed that such technologies were their invention, they were actually India's technology. "Internet and satellite system had existed in India during lakhs of years ago. The richest culture belongs to our nation and I feel proud of it. Even today, in internet and software technology, we are ahead. See Microsoft, it may be a US company but most of its engineers are all from our country," he added. 

When his remarks were called out for being hilarious at best and seeking to rewrite history at worst, Deb refused to back down and stuck to his guns. 

9) On Unnao rape case, BJP's Surendra Singh said 'no one can rape mother of three children': Coming back to more damaging and damning comments, one particular BJP leader found that he could not stay quiet on the Unnao rape case, which involves a BJP MLA as the key accused. Earlier this month, BJP's Bairia district MLA Surendra Singh came out in support of BJP's Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is facing rape charges in the Unnao case. Singh made a bizarre statement while defending Sengar. He said that no one can rape a mother of three children.

"I am speaking from psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him (Kuldeep Singh Sengar)," Surendra Singh told news agencies, adding, "Yes maybe her father was thrashed by some people but I refuse to believe rape charge." 

10) BJP's Surendra Singh struck twice, with no rest in between: Surendra Singh, not deterred by the outrage over his remarks regarding the Unnao rape case, decided to jam his foot further down his throat. Barely two days after appearing to defend Unnao rape accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the saffron party legislator from Bairia said that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections would be fought on the lines of "Islam versus Bhagwan" and "Pakistan versus India".  

During a public meeting, Singh said, "The 2019 poll are going to be on the lines of Pakistan versus Bharat... Islam versus Bhagwan and so the respected people of the country you have to decide whether it will be Islam which will win or Bhagwan." 

"(You have to) decide if it is the dishonest that will be victorious or (Narendra) Modi's sincerity," he said. The lawmaker said that this time if the BJP won, the people of the country would rejoice, and if the Opposition managed to make its government, drums and trumpets would be played in Pakistan. "People have to decide if they are with Bhagwan or Islam," Singh said. "It will be Bharat 'bhakti' will take on 'vibhakti' (divisive forces)," he added.

With agency inputs