General Election 2019: HD Kumaraswamy Hits Out At News Satire Shows, Warns Of "Bringing In Law"

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has taken offense to what he calls news channels "belittling" politicians on their satirical shows and says he believes a law is needed to regulate the media. At a public meeting on Sunday, Mr Kumaraswamy objected to shows speculating on the longevity of the Janata Dal Secular-Congress coalition government headed by him and asserted that it would continue with the "good wishes" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"Who are you (media) trying to help by misusing our name, belittling us among masses? I'm thinking of bringing in a law. What have you thought of us politicians? You think we're jobless? Do we look like cartoon characters to you? Who gave you authority to show everything humorously," Mr Kumaraswamy said at a book launch in Mysuru.

Mr Kumaraswamy said he had stopped speaking to the media for the past month because of "irresponsible reporting". He asserted that his government was stable, contrary to speculation that after the Lok Sabha election results on Thursday May 23, the coalition may collapse.

"This government will not go so easily as is being projected that soon after the election results on May 23 (the government would fall). It will continue with the good wishes of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and (former chief minister) Siddaramaiah," he said.

"We are not surviving because of media but because of 6.5 crore people of the state. I am not scared of them (media) at all. I don't care... If I see all the episodes of their stories in the electronic media, I will lose sleep," he said.

Reports of a rift between Mr Kumaraswamy's party and the Congress have periodically surfaced, alongside alleged moves by both the ruling coalition and the opposition BJP to engineer defections.

Earlier this month, a BJP leader had commented that former chief minister Siddaramaiah of the Congress was eyeing the top post while Mr Kumaraswamy was visiting temples to pray for his son Nikhil Gowda's victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Kumaraswamy referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines during the election as he hit out at the media.

"When we go to shrines, it is called Temple Run but they (news channels) are clueless when Modi goes to Badrinath (Kedarnath)," he said.