In an apparent attack on BJP and its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, Union minister Manish Tewari today said that those who were trying to cause "a storm in a teacup" had conveyed to mediaperons that they would be targeted if they asked uncomfortable questions.
"Those who are trying to bring a storm in a teacup, I do not know whether they would succeed in creating this storm, but... They have sent out a message to very eminent people in media that if you are a liberal, if you ask uncomfortable questions, then you will be targeted.
"And not only would you be targeted, you would be (also) vilified," Tewari said, his "storm in a teacup" reference apparently aimed at BJP's 'Chai pe Charcha' campaign.
If the last 10 years were to be juxtaposed with some of the developments taking place today, it would seem that fundamental media freedoms are under challenge, Tewari, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, told reporters on the sidelines of an event to launch the Reference Annual, India 2014.
"If you read the tweets of some very eminent journalists ... They clearly point at intimidation, which essentially means that 'if you are not with us, then you are against us'," Tewari said without taking any names.
"The way those who ask questions over 'Chai pe Charcha', are behaved with, it raises fundamental questions of liberty in debate," he added.
