Arvind Kejriwal with party leaders Medha Patekar and Mayank Gandhi in Mumbai. (File photo)
The Editors Guild of India has condemned the "repeated attacks" on the media by Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal and said it reflected "an intolerant mindset" that resented any critical scrutiny.
"The Guild condemns in the strongest terms the repeated attacks on the media by the Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, that violate the norms of decent democratic debate," a statement by N Ravi, the President of the Editors Guild of India, said here.
His wholesale accusation against the media as being bought by a particular party and candidate and his threat, even if it be an empty one, to send media persons to prison after an inquiry reflect "an intolerant mindset that resents any critical scrutiny", the statement added.
It is the democratic right of the free media to raise any issue and to subject any public person or party to scrutiny, and it is ridiculous to label the criticism of a party or of a political leader as "paid news", the Guild said.
It said most parties had grown to take critical scrutiny for granted and shown the maturity to counter and get their points of view across in a reasonable manner.
"One hopes the intolerance that is reflected in Arvind Kejriwal's recent attacks on the media does not represent the new style of politics promised by the Aam Aadmi Party and its leaders," the statement said.