TV editors body slams V K Singh over his remarks on African attacks

Television editors body BEA today slammed Union Minister V K Singh for his remarks that attack on African nationals was a minor scuffle blown up by media, calling it "absurd".

Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) has taken statement of Singh with a contempt it deserves. "He is in the habit of making this kind of absurd statements which are not in consonance with the spirit of democracy," its General Secretary N K Singh said.

He said the Minister should know that it is not a military regime where media dance to the tune of power packs.

"We would advise the Prime Minister to give lessons in Indian Constitution to the Minister," Singh told PTI.

He said media is independent and these incidents of growing racial intolerance is detrimental to the image of the country and to the Make in India programme, which Modi government is pursuing so vigorously.

"The kind of message going across the world (by such remarks) will not lure foreign investors. The first job of the State is to curb these incidents," Singh said.

In a series of tweets, the Minister has claimed the attack on African nationals in the national capital was a "minor scuffle" which was "blown up" by the media.

"Had detailed discussion with Delhi Police and found that media blowing up minor scuffle as attack on African nationals in Rajpur Khurd," Singh, who is the junior minister in External Affairs Ministry, said and questioned the media's "motive".

"Why is media doing this? As responsible citizens let us question them and their motives," he said.

There has been a spate of attacks on African nationals in the last few days including killing of a Congolese youth in national capital and assault on a 23-year-old Nigerian student in Hyderabad.