Oppn takes swipes at PM’s presser for not taking questions

Team Udayavani, May 18, 2019, 5:58 PM IST

New Delhi: Opposition leaders on Saturday took swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking any questions at a press conference on Friday and diverting them to BJP chief Amit Shah.

Former UP Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav tweeted a picture of three wise monkeys covering their eyes, ears and mouth with their hands.

Development is asking: Did you see the Prime Minister’s first press conference. It looks like the last episode of ‘Mann ki Baat’ has been telecast on Television instead of the Radio. Poor media persons kept sitting with their questions as the ‘disciplined soldier’ maintained silence, he said on Twitter.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter to say, Amit Shah doesn’t forget to thank the embedded BJP workers disguised as journalists.

Questioning the Prime Minister for his “silence” at the press conference, CPI leader D Raja said, What was in the press conference? The Prime Minister should have answered the pointed question posed to him on the Rafale issue.

Addressing his first press conference along with BJP chief Amit Shah after coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on the last day of campaigning Friday that the BJP will come back to power with a full majority but refused to take any questions, citing party discipline.

The Congress mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking any question in his first appearance at a press conference, with party president Rahul Gandhi on Friday saying “showing up is half the battle”.

“Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done,” Gandhi had tweeted.

Former home minister and senior leader P Chidambaram said, “PM ‘addresses’ press conference. Who is the wit who said ‘silence can be eloquent’? PM’s press conference was proof of that statement.”