‘With us or against us’ : How the Congress party attacks journalists and stifles media freedom

The Indian media played a pivotal role in keeping the Congress in power for about sixty years. In this long period a strong nexus between Congress politicians and mainstream media was formed and a whole ecosystem favoring the Congress party was created. This notorious nexus is often referred as Lutyens’ media. The Grand Old Party, through their coteries in media, controlled and manipulated public opinions in favor of their leaders. According to a Live mint report, Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had once famously said that over 150 media publications were owned by individuals affiliated with the Congress party. He further said that the Congress party would activate this machinery to “carve a legend out of Rahul within a decade”.

This boasting shows the extent to which Congress party used to effectively control every information to which Indians were exposed to. They had complete control over everything that Indians saw, read and heard via media.

It was only after the advent of social media that the monopoly of the Congress ecosystem on the flow of information, freedom of speech and expression came to an end. With television as a medium for information receding into oblivion, the internet is taking the centre stage today. PM Modi with adroit use of internet and social media outsmarted Congress ecosystem and kicked out the Congress party out of power in 2014 general elections. However, it appears that Congress’ intoxication with power has still not weaned off even after almost five years of being out of power. It is clearly evident in the behavior of Congress leaders’ and spokespersons’ with journalists who are not favorable to Congress party and its president- Rahul Gandhi.

The leaders belonging to the Congress party behave as if India is their fiefdom. There are many instances when the Congress spokespersons’ and leaders violated basic decorum and used abusive language on air, issued intimidation and open threats to journalists.

The Congress spokesperson Rajiv Tyagi had once abused TV anchor during live debate.

https://twitter.com/AsYouNotWish/status/1022214805753450497

Rajiv Tyagi is a repeat offender. He had also manhandled veteran anchor Sumit Awasthi.

This sort of uncivilized behavior is now very common among Congress spokespersons’ but Rajiv Tyagi crossed all the limits. Despite this, he is still a member of the party. Rajiv Tyagi is well known for using crass language against his political opponents. Presence of people like Rajiv Tyagi shows the morally corrupt character of the Congress.

The Congress party presents itself as the crusader of press freedom but there are many stances where its party members assaulted media personnel. During Jan Aakrosh Rally of Congress party, a reporter became a victim of the abusive behavior of the members of Congress party only because he was reporting the rally impartially.

A twitter user, Aadarsh Rawal posted a video in which people belonging to the Congress party were labeling a journalist as Modi Bhakt, the cameraman was also attacked.

A journalist Shiv Aroor had claimed that Congress leader Randeep Surjewala had called up his seniors and complained about his ‘political leanings’.

At Bharat Bachao Andolan , a woman journalist accused members of Youth Congress of assaulting her.

She revealed that all this happened in the presence of senior Congress leaders like Raj Babbar and Ahmed Patel.

Ironically enough, women security and safety was one of the issue raised by the youth Congress.

It should be noted that the Republic TV and Times now are not in good books with the Congress party.

The Congress President Rahul Gandhi at a press conference after Karnataka Assembly elections vowed to give the boot to PM Modi and also claimed that BJP and RSS do not respect any institution of the country. He also instigated the media houses to attack Modi government. He had said, “The BJP has 100 percent attacking every single institution, including, my friend, you (media). It is also attacking all of you. Fortunately, some of you are very brave and you take them on and I am very proud of you. And unfortunately, some of you need a little bit of support from us or push from us to attack them.”

At multiple times, one or the other Congress spokespersons have either explicitly or implicitly threatened journalists with dire consequences ‘when they return to power.’

Here in this discussion Pawan Khera loses completely as he goes hammers and tongs against Aaj Tak journalist Rohit Sardana

Even Durbari journalists also cheer for such threats and offer their assistance to clamp down against all those journalists who are not the part of the Congress ecosystem.  The Congress spokespersons’ along with Durbari journalists have made a mockery of press freedom with their abusive, arrogant behavior. Durbari journalists always repeat that Democracy is in danger since the Modi government has come to power. Yes, Democracy is in danger in India because media has become against the people and the nation and a party which considers the country as its fiefdom desperately wants to come back to power at any cost.