Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, commented on matters of politics during a meeting with journalists on Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. He said that press freedom in India was under assault, and the rest of the world could see this as well.
Speaking candidly about the subject at the nation’s capital while engaging in a lively discussion with journalists, Mr. Gandhi said that one should be open to criticism and that press freedom is essential for a functioning democracy. He claimed there was a crackdown on the institutional system, which supported the national narrative.
“Press freedom in India is undeniably deteriorating. India can clearly see it, and the rest of the world can too. For a democracy, press freedom is absolutely essential. One ought to be receptive to criticism. The institutional setting that permitted India to communicate and the Indian people to bargain is under attack. India, in my opinion, is a negotiation among its inhabitants, between many cultures, languages, and history. Mahatma Gandhi established the foundation for fair and open discussion. The framework that permits this dialogue is under pressure, he said.
The “definite capture of institutions and press” at home, he continued, was an accusation.
“I don’t believe everything I hear. I walked across India and spoke to millions of Indians, they didn’t seem very happy to me. They agreed that there were serious issues such as inflation,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul Gandhi poked fun at PM Modi when speaking to the Indian community in California on Tuesday. He claimed that certain Indians suffer from the “disease” of thinking they are all-knowing.
The BJP reacted negatively to the remarks and accused the Congress politician of damaging India’s reputation abroad.
The congressman’s continuous trip to the US will take him to Washington, DC, New York, and San Francisco.
