Amid the mounting pressure on the Congress party over the brazen physical assault and harassment of an Indian journalist in the US, journalists in large numbers staged a protest in New Delhi demanding that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should issue a public apology and take action against the guilty persons. The protesting journalists slammed the Congress party for claiming to run “Mohabbat ki Dukkan” but at the same time “targeting” and “singling out” journalists on one issue or the other be it their caste, views, or for asking tough questions. They also lambasted a section of media fraternity for dividing journalists in the camps of “us vs them” and observing “selective silencing” even on issues of attack on journalists and media.
The protesting journalists included renowned and veteran journalists who held placards with slogans like, “Mohabbat Ki Dukkan, Sikho Patrakaro ka Samman” (Learn how to respect Journalists); “Rahul Gandhi per pucha Sawal, America me kyu hua Bawal?”. (Why the ruckus for asking questions from Rahul Gandhi?)
They also raised slogans like – Rahul Gandhi should apologise, Stop attacks on journalists and media…Tanashahi nhi chalegi (Dictatorship will not work)….Congress party hosh me aoo (Congress party come to your senses).
They asserted that no journalist is big or small as all media persons are just doing their work.
What transpired in Dallas, US?
Last week, a journalist associated with the India Today media network was assaulted by Congress workers in Dallas, Texas during Rahul Gandhi’s US visit. Towards the conclusion of his interaction with Sam Pitroda, Rahul Sharma asked, “Will Rahul Gandhi raise the issue of Hindus being killed in Bangladesh during his meetings with US lawmakers?” It is said that close associates and supporters of Congress and Rahul Gandhi assaulted and manhandled him. They snatched his phone and deleted the entire video of the interview while keeping him captive for several hours. Days after the incident, PM Modi had highlighted the issue and slammed Congress party over the incident. Incidentally, US Press Club also lambasted Congress supporters for attacking a journalist at Rahul Gandhi’s event, calling it a violation of First Amendment rights.
Rahul Gandhi issue a public apology, stop singling out journalists for their caste, or for posing tough questions: What the protesting journalists said
Journalist Vinod Mishra said, “This protest is a message to all those people who divide journalists into the camps of us vs them.”
He stressed that if they keep on dividing journalists like this, attacks on journalists will not stop.
He added, “They sometimes ask caste of a journalist, sometimes their religion, or region they belong to…but journalists are just doing their work.”
“What was the fault of Rahul Sharma..He asked (from Sam Pitroda) when Rahul Gandhi was meeting so many US lawmakers, will he raise the issue of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh,” he continued.
Journalist Mishra further stated that it should be asked, “Why this became a ‘crime’ in the eyes of Rahul Gandhi’s team? Is it a crime to ask questions for Hindus?”
Speaking with News18, DD News Anchor and veteran Journalist Ashok Srivastav said, “Sam Pitroda has not assured of any action, he issued an apology only after PM Modi raised the issue publicly. His initial response was that I will look into the matter and probe into the allegations. If Sam Pitroda has apologised after conducting a thorough investigation, he should tell us who were the people who detained the journalist for three hours. Who were the people who took the journalist’s phone and deleted everything? The ones who assaulted, manhandled, and ill-treated him, he should reveal their names and take action against them.”
अमेरिका में पत्रकार के मारपीट,दिल्ली में प्रदर्शन.#America #Journalist @RajLaveena @YatendraMedia pic.twitter.com/icePvd00Ww
— News18 India (@News18India) September 18, 2024
The veteran DD journalist asked, “Is this your (Rahul Gandhi) ‘Mohabbat ki Dukkan’, with respect to media and constitution.”
He added, “These questions should be asked from Rahul Gandhi as he is not above the constitution.”
“In America, where Rahul Gandhi claimed that media is not free in India, his team assaulted a reporter, and Sam Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi watched tamasha. We thought Rahul Gandhi would show magnanimity and apologise for the incident,” Ashok Srivastava added.
DD anchor Lal Chand Singh said, “Our protest aims that Sam Pitroda ji should apologise for the attack on Rahul Sharma in the United States of America. But there has been no response from Congress party, it’s leaders or its handle. We are asking this question not only to the Congress party and its leaders but also with media fraternity. There is a big question mark as to what did they do when such incidents take place on a person from their fraternity. Why do they maintain a selective silence.”
They try to project themselves as champion of freedom of speech, Singh added, so what was wrong that Rahul Sharma had asked?
A female journalist part of the protest said, “Ek bar nhi bar bar, earlier such news were coming from different parts of the country and now from foreign soil. Congress party members, including Rahul Gandhi indulge in incidents where journalists are singled out sometime on their caste, surname and if they don’t like there questions they link them with some party, on one excuse or the other, journalists are being targeted and singled out.”
She added, “The incident that occured in Dallas crossed all limits. That a reporter was held captive by party members, his devices were tampered with, videos were deleted, only for one reason that he wanted to ask one question which Sam Pitroda ji didn’t like. They could have skipped the question or declined to comment but should not have acted in such a manner. This show that you want to send a message to the entire media fraternity.”
She further stated, “Not through telephonic call, Rahul Gandhi should issue a public apology as it happened in his presence when he was in the USA. So far, he has not even taken cognizance of the incident. Sam Pitroda ji is trying to hog wash because Prime mInister raised this matter during an event.”
She concluded by saying, “We want to say Rahul Gandhi, Congres party, Kharge ji don’t be scared, let journalists do their work. This will strenghten democracy.”
