The Editor-in-Chief of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhary has put the Congress party in a tough spot after he accused the Congress party of attempting to muzzle the voice of the media in the country. Sudhir Chaudhary made this statements as Congress media defiantly accused Zee News of telecasting a fake video.
Sudhir Chaudhary speaking to DNA referred to the video of an election rally addressed by senior party leader Navjot Singh Sidhu in which ‘Pakistani Zindabad’ slogans were raised by some people. The Congress leaders, however, had said that no such slogan was raised, and alleged that Zee News was spreading fake news. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala as a proof of their claim had posted a 45-second clip of the video to falsely accuse Zee News of posting fake news.
We at OpIndia had made a ‘fact-check’ on the issue and had found that someone indeed had shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during the Sidhu’s speech at an election rally in Khairthal, Alwar in Rajasthan on December 1. The Congress leaders had edited out this part while posting a video proof that no such slogans were raised.
Sudhir Chaudhary has outrightly denied the allegation of the video is fake and said they can present at least seven feeds to prove that pro-Pakistan slogans were indeed raised during the election rally. He further added that Zee News stands by its video. He also shared other videos of the speech where the slogan was heard on Twitter.
“It has become fashionable now that when a leader of Congress is caught red-handed, the party comes to his defence by terming the video to be a fake. This is nothing but yet another Congress tactic to get out of the situation,” said Sudhir Chaudhary in his interview with DNA.
Sudhir Chaudhary also objected to the harsh words used by Navjot Singh Sidhu after he had threatened him by saying “nani yaad dila denge”. The Congress always claims that the party believes in freedom of expression and in democratic values but it is a clear attempt to muzzle the voice of the media for not toeing the line of the party, said Sudhir Chaudhary
Responding to the question regarding Congress party’s backing to Sidhu in the recent controversy, Chaudhary said that in a large set-up like Congress, a leader like Sidhu can’t do it alone. He further referred to recent controversial Amritsar visit of Sidhu, where he had claimed that Rahul Gandhi was his captain and had even said that Rahul Gandhi had asked him to go to Pakistan. The Zee News Editor-in-Chief added that Sidhu has the approval of the leadership of Congress party for his actions.
Sudhir Chaudhary expressed his disappointment over the Editor’s Guild of India for not taking the issue of Congress’s onslaught on the media into the cognizance. He added that other media groups will stand by their organisation. He said that they have already sent a written complaint to News Broadcasters Associations and another to the Editors Guild of India.
Zee News has also filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and other Congress leaders over the incident. “Zee News always believes in the democratic system of the country. We believe in the legal system so will take all the steps within the legal framework to seek justice…We have also sent a complaint to the Election Commission of India. If need be, we will move the court,” said Sudhir Chaudhary.
