A day after Mumbai Press Club condemned Rahul Gandhi for publicly humiliating a journalist during a press conference after his disqualification from Lok Sabha, left-liberals have launched an attack on the press club. After Rahul Gandhi called CNN-News18 journalist Ravi Sisodia a BJP agent for asking him a question about his comments that led to his conviction and the subsequent disqualification, Mumbai Press Club had issued a statement, criticising Congress scion Rahul Gandhi.
However, this didn’t go well with left-liberals, and they were enraged that the press club demanded an apology from the prince. The cabal of liberals, who have been pretending to uphold press freedom in India, attacked the Mumbai Press club instead for having the audacity to seek an apology from their political master.
Congress loyalist Sanjukta Bose wrote, “Rich of you guys to outrage over what Rahul Gandhi said and ask many questions to Congress when we have a PM that hasn’t held press con in 9 years. Even in pressers by other BJP leaders journalists not allowed to questions freely. They just shout and journos quietly take notes.”
Rich of you guys to outrage over what RG said and ask many questions to Cong, when we have a PM that hasn’t held press con in 9 years. Even in pressers by other BJP leaders journalists not allowed to questions freely. They just shout and journos quietly take notes.
— Sanjukta Basu (@sanjukta) March 26, 2023
One Vijaya Moorthy went on an unhinged rant and tweeted, “Ouch!! Bothered about journalists being rebuked. All reaction and comment seekers, that’s all. Keep taking bytes without asking real questions and wanting to hear real answers! Sit down please. #FreeSpeech of others is as important as your right to pose questions. Relearn first.”
Ouch!! Bothered about journalists being rebuked. All reaction and comment seekers, that’s all. Keep taking bytes without asking real questions and wanting to hear real answers! Sit down please.#FreeSpeech of others is as important as your right to pose questions. Relearn first.
— Vijaya Moorthy (@vmoorthynow) March 25, 2023
Actress Richa Chaddha tweeted a Gif of a ‘snail’ in response to the statement released by the Mumbai Press Club. “Such different standards,” she wrote.
Such different standards… https://t.co/41ZBpTgCua pic.twitter.com/Ks2cTYmP7z
— RichaChadha (@RichaChadha) March 26, 2023
Film writer and ex-journalist, Arpita Chatterjee, resorted to whataboutery in the hopes of shielding Rahul Gandhi from public criticism.
“I’m very curious to know what questions the so called press of this country has asked about Adani, PM Cares, how COVID was handled, about what’s going on in Kashmir etc etc. Wearing a press badge doesn’t make you press,” she wrote.
I’m very curious to know what questions the so called press of this country has asked about Adani, PM Cares, how COVID was handled, about what’s going on in Kashmir etc etc. Wearing a press badge doesn’t make you press. https://t.co/nleGZFbA4n
— Arpita Chatterjee (@arpitachatter) March 26, 2023
Abusive troll Swati Chaturvedi was also miffed at the conduct of the press body. She tweeted, “Also Mumbai Press Club, you have no opinion on compromised & pliable journalists?”
“Did you deplore Narendra Modi calling the free press “bazaru”, or his minister calling journalists “presstitutes”? “Paid media” is another honorific the Modi gov has given,” she said.
Also @mumbaipressclub you have no opinion on compromised & pliable journalists? Did you deplore @narendramodi calling the free press “bazaru”, or his minister calling journalists “presstitutes”? “Paid media” is another honorific the Modi gov has given https://t.co/bOoJKvtB1P
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) March 26, 2023
The Background of the Controversy
On March 25 morning, Rahul Gandhi lost his cool during a press conference at the Congress office. The press conference had been largely one-sided, with Rahul Gandhi accusing the government of silencing him over the Adani issue.
When journalist Ravi Sisodia of CNN-News18 asked questions concerning his defamation conviction, the Congress scion called him a BJP stooge.
“Aap itne directly BJP ke liye kyun kaam kar rahe ho, thoda discretion se karo yaar. Thoda ghoom ghaam kar poocho. (How is it that you are so openly working from BJP, do it with some discretion. Don’t pose such direct questions, be diplomatic)”, Rahul Gandhi said.
#WATCH | “Don’t pretend to be a pressman…Kyun hawa nikal gayi?”, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to a journalist questioning him on his conviction in ‘Modi surname’ case pic.twitter.com/SdaaUeraoy
— ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2023
“If you want to work for the BJP, bring a BJP symbol and wear it on your chest,” Rahul lambasted. “Don’t pretend to be a pressman…Kyun hawa nikal gayi?” he further mocked the journalist.
Following this, Mumbai Press Club issued a statement on Saturday (March 25) evening, criticising Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for publicly humiliating a journalist. The press body noted, “The job of a journalist is to ask questions, and it is the duty of political leaders who call press conferences and engage with journalists to answer these questions with dignity and decorum.”
“It is unfortunate that as the leader of one of the oldest political parties of the country, Shri Gandhi faded to respect the dignity of the Fourth Estate…It is a matter of concern that political parties of all hues have been attempting to browbeat journalists using derogatory language and threats as a response to news reporting they find unpalatable,” it added.
The Mumbai Press Club deplores Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi for humiliating a journalist while addressing a press conference at his party office on Saturday morning.@RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/pOBkfmZQoK
— Mumbai Press Club (@mumbaipressclub) March 25, 2023
The Mumbai Press Club also sought an apology from Rahul Gandhi to Ravi Sisodia. “In this context, it will be appropriate for Shri Rahul Gandhi to make amends and offer an apology to the journalist concerned,” the statement said.
