Doda (J&K): Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party during a rally in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday, following an incident in which an India Today journalist was assaulted in the United States.
Modi accused the Congress of hypocrisy and brutality after Rahul Gandhi’s team reportedly assaulted journalist Rohit Sharma while he was covering an event in Dallas. The Prime Minister took aim at Gandhi’s public image of tolerance and inclusivity, questioning the Congress’s commitment to these values.
“They claim to run a ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan,’ but recently, an Indian journalist was subjected to cruelty in the US by Congress members,” Modi said. “A son of India was insulted abroad. Those who profess to be champions of freedom of speech were involved in such brutality.”
This incident occurred shortly before Rahul Gandhi’s scheduled visit to the US. Sharma, a correspondent for India Today, alleged that he was manhandled by Congress workers while attempting to interview Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda. Sharma’s inquiry about violence against Hindus in Bangladesh was deemed “controversial” by Gandhi’s team, leading to the journalist being surrounded and pressured to delete the footage.
Sharma recounted that his phone was forcibly unlocked using his face ID to delete the interview footage from the device’s “recently deleted” folder after Congress workers initially took and deleted the video from his photo library.
In response, Sam Pitroda acknowledged the incident and promised to investigate. “I do not approve of anyone being mishandled or disrespecting journalists,” Pitroda said. “I support a free press and will look into what happened to ensure such incidents are addressed.”
Modi, who was visiting Doda for the first time in 42 years as Prime Minister, condemned the Congress’s actions, suggesting they diminished India’s prestige in the US and undermined democratic values by attacking the media, an essential pillar of democracy.
