Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, criticised the Congress party for its alleged mistreatment of an Indian journalist in the United States, accusing them of hypocrisy regarding their stance on freedom of speech and the Constitution.
The incident involved an India Today TV journalist, Rohit Sharma, who claimed he was assaulted by members of Rahul Gandhi's team during an interview in Dallas.
Speaking at a rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda, PM Modi addressed the issue, linking it to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s "Mohabbat ki Dukaan" campaign, which aims to promote a message of "peace and unity."
"They claim to run Mohabbat ki Dukaan, but a journalist from our country was subjected to cruelty in the USA by Congress. A son of India was insulted abroad. Those who claim to support freedom of speech are now indulging in brutality," said a visibly angry Modi.
PM Modi further expressed concern over how this incident affected India's image globally, stating, "The way this journalist was treated lowers the prestige of India on foreign soil. Media is a key pillar of democracy. Is this how the Congress wants to elevate India's standing abroad—by attacking a journalist?"
Rohit Sharma, the journalist in question, detailed his ordeal, stating that the confrontation took place during an interview with Sam Pitroda, the head of the Indian Overseas Congress.
The tension reportedly arose when Sharma asked Pitroda a question regarding the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, which was deemed controversial by Gandhi’s team.
The interview was abruptly halted, and Sharma claimed he was surrounded by a group of Congress workers who demanded that the interview be deleted.
Sharma described being manhandled for nearly 30 minutes, during which his phone was forcibly taken. Although the Congress workers deleted the video from his phone, they knew how to access the “recently deleted” folder and used the journalist’s Face ID to permanently erase the footage without his consent.
In response to the incident, Sam Pitroda, while talking on India Today TV, expressed disapproval and promised to investigate the incident. "I do not approve of anyone being mistreated, and I certainly respect journalists and free press. I will look into what happened and address the situation," said Pitroda during an interview.
(Courtesy: @IndiaToday)
