Accusing Rahul Gandhi of “intimidating an independent Editor”, Jaitley alleged that the “Emergency dictator” had shown his “real DNA” and sought a response from the Editors Guild of India.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s television “interview by a pliable journalist”, in an apparent reference to ANI editor Amita Prakash.
Accusing Gandhi of “attacking” and “intimidating an independent editor”, Jaitley said the “Grandson of Emergency dictator” had shown his “real DNA” and also sought a response from the Editors Guild of India in this regard.
The Grandson of the ‘Emergency dictator’ displays his real DNA – attacks and intimidates an independent Editor.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) 3 January 2019
Taking to Twitter, the senior BJP leader said, “Why are the pseudo liberals silent? Waiting for the Editors guild’s response.”
Why are the pseudo liberals silent? Waiting for the Editors guild’s response.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) 3 January 2019
While addressing the media on Wednesday, Rahul had told reporters, “He (Modi) does not have the guts to come and sit in front of you. And I am coming here… you can ask me any question… I come here once in seven-ten days… and you saw the Prime Minister’s interview yesterday…matlab pliable journalist, woh question bi kar rahi thi, pradhan mantri ka answer bi de rahi thi, side mein (she was asking questions as well as giving answers).”
Following his remarks, Smita had tweeted, “Mr Rahul Gandhi, cheap shot at your press conference to attack me. I was asking questions not answering. You want to attack Mr Modi, go ahead but downright absurd to ridicule me. Not expected of a president of the oldest political party in the country.”
While the BJP demanded an apology from Gandhi, the National Union of Journalists (India) said it was unbecoming of the Congress president to mock the interviewer.
“Shooting the messenger!! Not done Mr @RahulGandhi, cheap stunt at your press conference to attack @smitaprakash who was asking questions not answering. Go ahead fight @narendramodi @arunjaitley @BJP4India but its unbecoming of President @INCIndia to ridicule the @ANI interviewer,” NUJ (India) tweeted.
Saying that the Congress president must apologise to journalists for his remarks, BJP’s national media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni said: “This has been the Congress’s mindset about independent journalism. Rahul Gandhi’s DNA is of the Emergency. His party has a history of throttling journalism. He should apologise to the country’s journalists for his petty remarks.”
