The News Broadcasters Association today objected to "unverified" and "highly defamatory" charges levelled against news channels by AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and comments by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde threatening to "crush" the electronic media.

The apex body of news broadcasters appealed to political leaders and public figures not to level baseless charges against the media and keep the discourse "civil and sane".

On Kejriwal's comments against a section of the media during a rally in Rohtak on Haryana on Sunday, the apex body of news broadcasters slammed him for making allegations without specific details to substantiate them.

"It is shocking to note that the very parties that gained immensely from media coverage are today turning against the electronic media, when they are under scrutiny on issues of governance," the NBA Secretary General Annie Joseph said in a statement.