Shun BJP-inspired TV debates, Tejashwi to opposition parties

Patna, March 11 (IANS) Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav here on Monday appealed all the opposition parties to not participate in debates on television channels, which are promoting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)."We appeal to all the political parties in the opposition and the conscientious voices in the public sphere not to participate in the shouting matches held in the name of debate by certain television channels and their anchors, and to refuse to be complicit in their campaign of distortion and deceit."The conspicuous absence of facts and voices from the opposition shall not allow them to continue with their pre-scripted debates and discussions," the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said in a letter to leaders of 24 opposition parties.Yadav said: "I believe if we can take a united and collective call on this, it shall be of great help to the cause we are fighting for." "We believe news channel studios have been seized by fascist tendencies and that no rational debate is possible at these theatres of death and doom," he said.
--IANS ik/arm/pcj