A recently surfaced audio clip has put Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule in the spotlight. In the recording, Bawankule purportedly advises party workers to take journalists to roadside eateries (dhabas) and extend them good treatment to prevent negative publicity in the run-up to the elections. This revelation has sparked allegations of media influence by the BJP.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has backed Chandrashekhar Bawankule. He stated that Bawankule's comments should not be misinterpreted, as they were made sarcastically. Fadnavis made these remarks while speaking to the media, and it is not appropriate to create a controversy over them, he said.
When asked about the audio clip of Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Fadnavis said, "I believe that what Bawankule is saying and what it means are very different. Therefore, there's no reason to interpret it. Secondly, political leaders often make sarcastic remarks when they are with their supporters, and these should not be taken in the same sense. Bawankule has no such intention in mind. So it's very wrong to create controversy about it."
What did Chandrashekhar Bawankule say?
In the audio, Bawankule can be heard saying that small-time video journalists running news portals and residing in your booth areas sometimes present a minor incident as if some blast has taken place. Prepare a list of such nuisance-creating journalists, including those from the electronic media or print, and invite them for a cup of tea to dhabas so that they would not write anything against us ahead of Maha Vijay 2024. You know what I mean by inviting them for a cup of tea, he added.
If there are some shortcomings Sujay Vikhe Patil, local BJP MP, is there, he added. Take them to dhabas. Treat them well and ensure no negative news comes out against us. There should be positive news about us. Protect your own booths first, Bawankule said.