Reality Check India

A simple news story, “Mr Thirunavikkarasar of the BJP joined the Congress party”. When asked by newsmen, he clearly laid out the reasons for his decision.

Can you spot the difference in how these two newspapers carry this story ?

Specimen 1 : Deccan Chronicle

 

Mr Thirunavukarasar said that he had resigned from the primary membership of the BJP and also from the Rajya Sabha. Speaking at the AICC headquarters he-re, he said that he had joined the BJP because of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee but since his exit, the party had “totally surrendered to the RSS.”

“The state leadership of BJP is not keen on developing the party. Also, it is difficult for the BJP to grow here (Tamil Nadu) by alienating 40 per cent of the population comprising the minorities. Hence, I decided to quit,” he said denying that he switched over to the Congress only to protect his own business interests.

Specimen 2 : The Hindu

 

Mr. Thirunvaukkarasar told The Hindu that he was joining the Congress without any pre-conditions as he was fed up with the BJP’s movement towards “communal politics” guided by the RSS. Moreover, former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, to whom he was attracted, had retired from active politics. In his more than three-decade-long public life, he always wanted to be close to the people. But Tamil Nadu people were not ready to accept the BJP’s policies and the Congress was the only hope for them.

Were you able to spot it ?

Here is the answer. He said the following “.. The state leadership of BJP is not keen on developing the party. Also, it is difficult for the BJP to grow here (Tamil Nadu) by alienating 40 per cent of the population comprising the minorities. Hence, I decided to quit,..”

Why would the media unnecessarily edit this out of what he said ?

40% minority in Tamilnadu. That is quite a high number, but we need to pay attention to what the politicians say in this regard. They know the caste wise breakup of every street.