Gujarat's Information Department is biased, alleges Congress

GANDHINAGAR: Accusing the BJP-led Gujarat government of being biased against the Congress by broadcasting an edited version of House proceedings, Congress MLA from Viramgam Tejashree Patel demanded that Congress MLAs must be given importance.

She was referring to a 30-minute television programme broadcast daily on major Gujarati channels in the evening. The programme called 'Lokshahi Na Dhabkara' (Heartbeats of Democracy) shows major highlights of question hour in the Gujarat assembly.

However, Patel claimed that only questions raised by BJP MLAs were highlighted.

"The edited version of House proceedings shown in the programme does not have any question raised by our MLAs. The show only showcases questions raised by BJP MLAs. Further, they look like sponsored questions, since the government get a chance to pat their own back while answering such questions," Patel alleged during her speech in the Assembly today about budgetary allocations to the Gujarat Information and Broadcasting Department.

"Questions raised by Congress MLAs are never shown in the programme, as ministers find it difficult to answer. We dig out issues affecting people of our area and put them before the House, but the Department of Information edits them," Patel said while addressing the Speaker Vaju Vala.

"Congress MLAs are also elected representatives. Thus, people of our constituency want to know what we do in the Assembly. I request that due importance should be given to us," Patel said.

However, Gujarat's minister of information and broadcasting Pradeepsinh Jadeja defended his ministry.

"The television show 'Lokshahi Na Dhabkara' is not edited or distributed to television channels by our department. It falls under the powers of Speaker of the House," Jadeja said.