Don't listen to Sonia and stop ads: BJP to Hemant Soren

The BJP on Wednesday urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren not to heed to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's suggestion of stopping government advertisements for two years as it would lead to a big crisis for the media. The BJP said several newspapers, news websites and television news channels that are functioning in the state would be affected if the suggestion is implemented. The Congresss character on media was exposed during the Emergency. Today also the Congress seeks to dismantle the media with the same thought, BJPs state unit spokesman Pratul Shahdeo said. The Congress does not want that the people get impartial news and Sonia Gandhis suggestion came despite the Centres announcement of Rs 1.7 lakh crore relief package to deal with the pandemic, he said.

Soren leads a coalition government, of which the Congress is a part. Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, suggesting a complete ban on media advertisements -- television, print and online -- by the government and Public Sectors Undertakings (PSU's) for a period of two years, among other measures, to save money for the fight against COVID-19. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has "strongly deplored" Gandhi's suggestion, saying it was "highly demoralising" for media personnel.