Modi regime turning media into paper tiger: Rahul
Says every institution in country under attack, results of recently held assembly polls will pave way for BJP’S ouster
CHANDIGARH:CONGRESS president Rahul Gandhi said on Monday the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is turning the media into a “paper tiger” as every institution in the country is under attack.
Rahul, who was in Mohali to attend an event to mark the re-launch of Navjivan, a Hindi weekly of the Associated Journals Limited (AJL), emphasised on the need for an independent and fearless media to save the country. He said Navjivan, which resumed publication in October this year, will be an independent newspaper and the voice of people.
“The media is like a roaring tiger. But it has lost its independence. Big corporate houses have taken control (of media). It is being intimidated to toe the government line. From the Supreme Court judges, army generals to BJP ministers, the voice of all institutions is being muzzled. But the people of the country will give a befitting reply. The verdict in the recently held assembly polls will prove that the BJP is on its way out. We will dethrone it in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” Rahul said.
He said one finds cricket and weddings on front pages of newspapers these days but there is no news on plight of farmers, unemployment or corruption. “The country’s youth is angry. And
The country needs a media that is not driven by commercial interests. Navjivan (AJL’S weekly) has got rebirth in Punjab, whose people played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle. MANMOHAN SINGH, former PM The CBI and ED are being used to file chargesheets. No paper attacks Modi for this or for using indecent language. Nothing is expunged from his speeches in Parliament. SUNIL JAKHAR, Punjab Cong chief
the BJP-RSS combine is using this to their advantage for dividing the country on communal lines,” he said.
Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the guest of honour at the event, said independent journalism is need of the hour to counter the divisive agenda of the BJP. “The country needs a media that is not driven by commercial interests. Navjivan has got ‘punarjivan’ (new lease of life) in Punjab, whose people played a pivotal role in the country’s freedom struggle. I appeal to Vora ji (AJL chairman Motilal Vora) to bring out the edition in Punjabi too,” he said.
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh could not attend the event as he has been advised rest following a bout of viral fever.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who has been served summons last week by a special CBI court along with Vora over land allotted to AJL in Panchkula, was also present. He, however, did not share stage with Rahul. AICC general secretary Asha Kumari and secretary Harish Chaudhary shared the stage with the party president. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had last week attached the land allotted to AJL.
Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar attacked the BJP for “using” central agencies against opposition leaders. “The CBI and ED are being used to file chargesheets. No newspaper attacks Modi for this or for using indecent language. Nothing is expunged from his speeches in Parliament. When a Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is killed, it brings a totalitarian regime to its knees. But when a Gauri Lankesh or a Shujhat Bukhari is killed, it does not shake our country. But governments should remember, if the media can bring you to power, it can also throw you out,” Jakhar said.
Vora in his inaugural address said Navjivan along with National Herald and Quami Awaaz (Urdu edition) will regain their past glory. “They were re-launched in their digital avatars in 2016-17. The AJL resumed its weekly print edition of the National Herald in English in
2017 and Navjivan’s publication has been resumed as a weekly, Sunday Navjivan, in October 2018 from New Delhi and Panchkula,” he said.
A commemorative issue of Navjivan to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was released on the occasion.