Similar act but different headlines from TOI one for BJP one for Cong

This entry into Media Watch is to show how TOI treats news differently depending upon who is involved. It seems they have one standard for BJP and another for Congress

Background is visit of BJP president Nitin Gadkari to Barak Valley and a similar visit by Tarun Gogoi, Congress CM.

Both of them talked about the plight of Hindu refugees in the valley as they were upset over a recent remark of AICC general secretary and Assam in-charge Digvijay Singh on the question of Hindu refugees. Digvijay Singh  had said

if a Hindu from Bangladesh comes to India after a stipulated time-frame he also should be treated as an infiltrator or a foreigner. There's no constitutional provision to treat Hindus coming from Bangladesh and Pakistan as refugees.

Now lets lets see what TOI says

ToI reports Gadkaris visit with a headline Gadkari plays Hindu card in Barak and writes

Everytime there's an election in Assam, BJP invariably plays the Hindu card at least in the state's Barak Valley region that shares a border with Bangladesh. This time too, the situation is in no way different as party president Nitin Gadkari has said no Hindu who came to India from Bangladesh and Pakistan should be treated as foreigners.

Nitin Gadari in his speech said

The people of India understand under what circumstances the Hindus had to flee the two neighbouring countries. They were compelled to do so. Nobody can send the refugee Hindus back to Bangladesh and Pakistan. BJP will not allow anybody to do so. If the Congress government terms the refugee Hindus as foreigners or illegal migrants, the people of India will throw the party away to Bangladesh

TOI reports Gogois with a Headline Eye on polls, Gogoi pledges 1000cr package for Barak and writes

Keeping in mind the coming assembly elections, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, promised the Barak Valley a Rs 1,000-crore package if the Congress wins in all the 15 segments of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi.

The chief minister tried to appease Hindu Bengalis in his speech who were upset over a recent remark of AICC general secretary and Assam in-charge Digvijay Singh on the question of Hindu refugees.

Gogoi in his speech said

The Congress has sympathy for those Hindus coming from Bangladesh under certain circumstances

If readers would notice both Nitin and Gogoi said exactly the same thing but TOI reported the news one with a positive sping and other with negative disdain! Most amazing is the contrast in language used for heading!

Can we assume that since its election time and Nitin might have not yet bought the “positive news” package.

Thanks @centerofright for lead

Media Watch