New Delhi: The controversy over Narendra Modi’s interview to Doordarshan intensified on Friday with Sonia Gandhi’s political aide Ahmed Patel refuting the BJP’s PM candidate’s claims of closeness between them, saying the remarks were “baseless” and “a complete lie”.
Meanwhile, the Prasar Bharati distanced itself from the row saying it was completely left to the editorial team of DD News to go ahead and telecast it. Acknowledging that certain comments on personalities were apparently edited, the public broadcaster, which supervises the functioning of Doordarshan, said the free hand was given even though there were concerns that a “balancing interview” from the other side could not be procured despite its best attempts.
Mr Patel said that Mr Modi’s “ridiculous” claims of their meeting or the two sharing friendship were a “political stunt” to create “confusion” in the midst of polls.
“This is a political stunt to create confusion and create a cloud of doubt in the midst of elections. How can Mr Modi be able to make friendship with me when he has never been able to strike friendship within his own party?” Mr Patel said.
Insisting that he never had any meeting with Mr Modi either in his office or at his residence nor had he taken any favour from the Gujarat CM, the Congress leader said that Mr Modi did come to his place for lunch when he was BJP general secretary in the eighties.
