The Congress-Media nexus is yet to mend its ways after being continually exposed by users on Social media for their false and manipulated reporting. Congress had earlier posted on twitter claiming that 156 Veterans of the Indian Armed Forces including 8 former Chiefs of Staff have written to the President of India urging him to act against PM Modi for trying to use soldiers for votes. Congress had tweeted:
“Modi may try to use soldiers for votes, but it’s clear that soldiers stand with India and not the BJP. 156 Veterans of the Indian Armed Forces including 8 former Chiefs of Staff write to the President of India urging him to act against Modi for trying to use soldiers for votes.”
Modi may try to use soldiers for votes, but it's clear that soldiers stand with India and not the BJP.
156 Veterans of the Indian Armed Forces including 8 former Chiefs of Staff write to the President of India urging him to act against Modi for trying to use soldiers for votes. https://t.co/NHUVDH2BeY— Congress (@INCIndia) April 12, 2019
However, different decorated veterans named in the list flat out denied being a signatory.
Different media outlets had reported this ‘development’ however failing to include the views of the dissenters who are included in the list. The Print which had shared an article on this matter had carefully excluded the comments by various decorated veterans who had clearly denied being signatory of such letter and even after several hours of several other veterans s denying being a signatory no amends were made to the articles.
The Telegraph was also involved in this blatant unethical attempt to mislead. They too carefully excluded details of the veterans who have clearly denied being signatory of such letter and posed the story as sacred.
Times of India had also tweeted Images of the letter with names of veterans who have categorically denied being a signatory.
156 military veterans, including 8 former chiefs, write to the President of India against politicisation of armed forces pic.twitter.com/GJ4u0gF246
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) April 12, 2019
The inclusion of veterans without their consent for a politically motivated move speaks lengths of the desperation of the Congress and left media ecosystem, which has been called out again and again for their selective bias and outright lies.
Former Army Vice Chief Lt General ML Naidu had claimed that he had no knowledge of such letter written or signed by him.
Former Army Vice Chief Lt General ML Naidu( who is mentioned at 20th in the list of armed forces veterans who purportedly wrote letter to President): No, my consent has not been taken for any such letter and neither have I written any such letter. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/v8H35Hp2WN
— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2019
General SF Rodrigues had also denied signing such letter.
#WATCH Goa: General SF Rodrigues who is mentioned as the first signatory in the purported letter written by armed forces veterans to President, denies signing it. pic.twitter.com/h1PNBCV909
— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2019
ex-Air Chief NC Suri said “I am not a signatory to any letter”
#IndiaTodayExclusive
Politics over forces escalates; ex-Air Chief NC Suri adds fresh twist to letter row. This is what he said to @gauravcsawant. #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/nanbqV8Pef— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) April 12, 2019
Even Rashtrapati Bhavan sources had denied receiving any such letter written by the veterans;
Rashtrapati Bhavan Source denies receiving any letter supposedly written by armed forces veterans to the President which is circulating in the media. pic.twitter.com/rOWedMumsk
— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2019
Traditional media in India has historically been dominated by a group of select elites, result of a perpetual quid pro quo within the industry and the successive Congress government, which prevented people with unbiased and independent view to contribute to major part of the news. However, with the advent of social media, the monopoly held by these elite packs was soon dissipated to millions of Indians voicing their opinions through several platforms.
This comes at a time when the Congress has been on the hotspot continuously for multiple revelations, from people who have claimed the Congress had used their name for political purposes to gain support. However with the Congress-media nexus losing relevance, peddling such narratives will not be easy, as it has been for decades.
