On 16th September (local time), the National Press Club (NPC) of Washington DC issued a statement indicating that the attack on India Today reporter Rohit Sharma might have violated his First Amendment rights. Sharma, who is a member of the NPC, was attacked by Congress supporters after he asked Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) chairperson Sam Pitroda about Rahul Gandhi’s stance on Hindus in Bangladesh.
WASHINGTON | September 16, 2024 — The following is a statement by @emrwilkins, president of the National Press Club, on a reported incident in the Dallas-area that may have violated the First Amendment rights of reporter @DcWalaDesi, a member of the National Press Club.
— National Press Club (@PressClubDC) September 17, 2024
The NPC, in its statement, raised concerns over the incident in the Dallas area. Emily Wilkins, President of the NPC, stated that the incident occurred when Sharma was conducting an interview with Pitroda, Chair of the IOC, at a hotel near Dallas Airport.
The press release noted that, according to reports from India Today and conversations between Sharma and an NPC Board member, Sharma was awaiting the arrival of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was scheduled to start his U.S. tour. During the interview, several members of the IOC and Gandhi’s advance staff were present. When Sharma posed his last question, some attendees objected and interrupted the interview by shouting at him, pushing him, and seizing his phone. The group, which included members of Rahul Gandhi’s staff, allegedly deleted files from Sharma’s phone before returning it.
Pitroda was escorted to the airport to meet Gandhi but later apologised to Sharma, noting he had no objections to the question posed and was in the process of answering when the disruption occurred. Wilkins emphasised that security staff must recognise that reporters working in the USA are protected by the First Amendment, regardless of the nationalities involved. She stressed that the actions of the security team—including confiscating Sharma’s phone and deleting content—were unauthorised and inappropriate. Interestingly, later in the week, Rahul Gandhi addressed a similar question at a National Press Club Newsmakers event in Washington.
Statement issued by NPC
“According to a recent article in India Today and confirmed in conversations between Mr, Sharma and an NPC Board member, Sharma was at a hotel near the Dallas Airport awaiting the arrival of Rahul Gandhi, the opposition leader in India, who was beginning a U.S. tour. While he waited, Sharma interviewed the Chair of the India Overseas Congress (IOC), Sam Pitroda. The two had met in the past and the interview was done in a professional manner with agreed to recording.
“Several members of the IOC were listening to the interview as well as several members of Mr. Gandhi’s advance staff. On the last question, members of the audience objected to the subject of the question and stopped the interview by shouting at Sharma and pushing him while taking his phone. The group, which included Gandhi’s staff, deleted files from Sharma’s phone and kept it from him.
“Pitroda, who had been whisked to the airport to meet Gandhi, later apologized to Sharma. He had no objection to Sharma’s question and was in the process of answering when the audience erupted. Later in the week, Rahul Gandhi answered a similar question at a Press Club Newsmakers event in Washington.
“Security staff must be aware that reporters working in the U.S. are protected by the First Amendment, regardless of the nationality of the interview subject, reporter or security teams. This was an on-the-record interview with ground rules set between Mr. Sharma and Mr. Pitroda. The security team had no role related to the content or duration of the interview. They had no right or standing to take Sharma’s phone from him or delete content.”
What happened in Dallas, did not stay in Dallas
Last week, journalist Rohit Sharma from India Today was assaulted by Congress workers in Dallas, Texas, during Rahul Gandhi’s US visit. Sharma, covering Gandhi’s trip, asked Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, if Gandhi would raise the issue of Hindus killed in Bangladesh by Islamists following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. Before Pitroda could respond, Congress supporters deemed the question ‘controversial,’ assaulted Sharma, and forcibly deleted the interview from his phone. Despite Pitroda suggesting a re-recording, it never happened. The incident highlights Congress’s intolerance towards questioning and the harassment of journalists. The incident that took place in Dallas, did not stay in Dallas and it was reported by Rohit via a report in India Today where he narrated his ordeal. Congress was heavily criticised for attacking a journalist that too on foreign land.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took a dig at Congress over the incident. He accused them of “engaging in brutality”. 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.
Notably, Editors Guild of India, that is famous for issuing “quick” statements to criticise the government, has kept silent over assault of Sharma by Congress goons in the US.
What is the National Press Club?
The National Press Club was founded in 1908. According to its website, it is the world’s leading professional organisation for journalists. The club has 300 members representing nearly every major news organisation. NPC is among the leading voices for press freedom in the United States and worldwide.
