Hitting out at the Aam Admi Party, Union Minister Manish Tewari today said the party could not face media scrutiny once it chose to form a government which was the reason for its "cut and run" strategy.
"I think the AAP was enjoying the benign benefaction of the media till the time they chose to become a part of the government. And when the media put them under scrutiny, they were unable to take the heat. So when you are unable to take the heat in the kitchen, you obviously cut and run. And that's what the AAP has done," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said.
He said if AAP had the conviction of courage, they would have continued in government in Delhi and delivered on their promises.
"So this whole strategy of cut and run, of not taking responsibility, of shirking responsibility when it is given to them in order to fulfil their commitments is something which has played out so magnificently in the media space that today their entire credibility stands undermined," Tewari said on the sidelines at the eighth Indian Magazine Congress.
The Minister was asked to respond to claims made by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal that a section of media has been told to cover Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi and "defame" him.
Tewari also criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying he had tried to "mislead" the people of Punjab by speaking of building a gurudwara in Kutch, when those who had faith in it were being made to leave.
Speaking at the event, Tewari said the intolerance of the "right wing" to criticism was on the rise.
"From what I hear from my friends in the media is the growing intolerance of right wing, not only right wing but newly emerged players in the media space to be able to tolerate or take criticism in their stride," he said.
