Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Sunday claimed that the media was becoming the mouthpiece of CPI(M) and 'whitewashing' the corruption scandals of the ruling Left front as gratitude for advertisements worth crores received from the state government.
Targetting the media houses over their surveys predicting another term for Pinarayi Vijayan-led government, Chennithala alleged that there was a planned move to attack him.
"This time, there is a planned move through the surveys to attack the Leader of the Opposition who has been targetting the Vijayan government. All my allegations were with evidence and all were proved right. The media should at least extend one percent of the support to the opposition that it has been giving to the ruling front," Chennithala said at a press meet here.
He also said, "the media has forgotten the journalistic ethics by rejecting space for the Opposition." "Certain anchors are already congratulating and claiming that Vijayan will win another term. ... the state government has given Rs 200 crore-worth advertisements to whitewash the government drowning in corruption," he added.
The Congress tweeted that it was 'deplorable' to see the extravaganza of advertisement spend by LDF, even in other regional newspapers. "The source of funds & the spending is concerning for the people of Kerala," the party said in the tweet.
Noting that the media was the fourth pillar of democracy, the leader of opposition in the state assembly said, "Media in Kerala are failing in its duty by turning into mouth pieces of CPI(M)."
Taking on the Left dispensation on the Sabarimala issue, he said neither the government nor the ruling party have changed their stance on the matter. "The stance of the government and the CPI(M) on Sabarimala has not been changed. It's very dangerous.
The CM is hoodwinking the people by saying that the matter will be discussed after the final verdict of the Supreme Court," Chennithala said.