Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday criticized the Congress, accusing them of “engaging in brutality” following an allegation by an India Today journalist who claimed to have been assaulted by Rahul Gandhi’s team in the United States. Speaking at an event in election-bound Doda, Kashmir, PM Modi also mocked Rahul Gandhi’s “Mohabbat ki dukaan” slogan, questioning the harsh treatment of the journalist in the US.
“They (Congress) claim to be running Mohabbat ki dukaan. But a journalist of our country was subjected to cruelty in the USA by Congress. A son of India was insulted in the USA. Those who claim to be champions of freedom of speech indulged in brutality,” Modi said on Saturday in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Modi stated that how the journalist was treated diminished India’s standing on American soil. He also remarked that the Congress is unfit to use the term “Constitution,” seeking to flip the narrative on the party, which has frequently accused the BJP of undermining the Constitution.
Prime Minister Modi emphasised the media’s role as a vital pillar of democracy, questioning whether locking a journalist in a room upholds democratic values. He asked, “Is assaulting an Indian journalist on American soil enhancing India’s reputation?” He added, “The word ‘Constitution’ doesn’t suit you,” directly criticizing the Congress.
India Today journalist assaulted during Rahul Gandhi’s US visit
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. Journalist Rohit Sharma had gone to Texas to cover Indian Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s much-anticipated visit. During the event, Sharma was harassed by the Congress workers as he raised the question of Hindus killed in Bangladesh at the hands of Islamists after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government there.
As per the India Today report, Sharma approached the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) Sam Pitroda for an exclusive interview hours before Gandhi was scheduled to arrive at the DFW International Airport. The entire interview went well until the last question posed by the journalist.
As the interview drew closer to the conclusion, Sharma asked, “Will Rahul Gandhi raise the issue of Hindus being killed in Bangladesh during his meetings with US lawmakers?” Before Pitroda could respond to the question, other 20-30 close associates and supporters of Congress and Rahul Gandhi who were present during the interview began creating chaos saying that the question asked by Sharma was ‘controversial’.
They assaulted him, snatched his phone, and deleted the entire video of the interview.
