Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday threatened to "crush" the electronic media in the country and said it was indulging in "false propaganda."
"Recently, there have been efforts by the media to provoke us (Congress). The media has opened a front in the past three to four months. We will crush such elements in the electronic media, which are indulging in false propaganda," Shinde said at a Youth Congress event in his hometown Solapur in Maharashtra.
"I have the intelligence department under me. I know who is doing such things."
Shinde's remarks follow a series of opinion polls in the national and regional media.
Conducted by private agencies, these opinion polls have predicted a drubbing for the Congress while forecasting an impressive tally for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Shinde, who is keen to contest the elections from Solapur again, said the people of India would never forgive those dividing the nation.
"The media should focus on positive stories, which will be welcomed by the people. The people of the country will not accept those dividing the country by disturbing society."
The home minister's remarks were promptly condemned by the Action Committee against Attacks on Journalists.
Shinde's attack against electronic media came even as the Editors Guild of India on Monday objected to "unsubstantiated charges" levelled by public figures dissatisfied with the coverage of their activities or with criticism.
{{/usCountry}}Shinde's attack against electronic media came even as the Editors Guild of India on Monday objected to "unsubstantiated charges" levelled by public figures dissatisfied with the coverage of their activities or with criticism.
{{/usCountry}}Read: Media attack by Kejriwal, VK Singh distressing: Editors' Guild