Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s arrest on Wednesday morning sparked a slugfest between the BJP and the Congress with each accusing the other of violating the freedom of press.
A number of senior Cabinet Ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar, Textiles Minister Smriti Irani attacked the Maharashtra Government for the arrest while the BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi of bringing “mafia Raj to India from Italy”.
Congress, on its part, attacked the BJP for its “selective outrage” over the arrest of one journalist while suppressing media freedom in general.
‘Reminded of Emergency’
According to Home Minister Amit Shah, Goswami’s arrest is a reminder of the Emergency and it will be opposed.
“Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again. Blatant misuse of State power against Republic TV and Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the fourth pillar of democracy. It reminds us of Emergency. This attack on free press must be and will be opposed,” Shah tweeted.
BJP held a press conference at its headquarters with party spokesperson Sambit Patra describing Congress President Sonia Gandhi as a “leader of the Italian mafia”.
“Freedom of speech is our fundamental right. Italian origin leader of Congress party brings mafia style politics to India. As far as the leader of this Italian mafia is concerned, she is none other the one whose father was Mussolini’s right hand man.
She is establishing mafia Raj in India,” charged Patra.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the BJP’s “selective outrage” with regard to press freedom was shocking.
“Why are they silent when Prashant Kanojia is jailed for a number of months just because he exposed a scam where children were being served salt and chappati in Mirzapur?” the spokesperson asked, referring to the journalist arrested by the UP Police.
Addressing a press conference, she raised other instances of suppression of free media and curbs on individual journalists by the BJP Government at the Centre and in the States.
‘Unwarranted outrage’
“Why is the BJP selectively silent when sedition charges are slapped against journalists and when a case has been filed against (Scroll) journalist Supriya Sharma because she exposed the pathetic state of affairs in a village in Varanasi. And when a reporter who exposed the PPE kit scam in Uttar Pradesh is jailed and faces serious sedition charges instead of action been taken against those responsible for the scam,” she said.
“So this selective outrage is extremely unwarranted, is shameful and they (the BJP) should be ashamed of saying anything,” she said.