The leaders of the united Opposition will boycott the shows and programs of the 14 anchors on the list that was released by the Congress yesterday. Senior party official Pawan Khera claimed, “We do not hate these anchors, but we love the country more,” accusing them of creating a “shop of hatred” every evening.
“We do not want to legitimise this hate filled narrative that is corroding our society,” he added in a video message posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The BJP wasted no time in taking offense. JP Nadda, the party’s leader, claimed that every member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, beginning with India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had attempted to control and suppress the media in the past. He claimed that “the history of Congress has many instances of bullying the media and silencing those with differing views.”
“The arrogant alliance’s decision by the INDI Alliance parties to intimidate and boycott journalists is strongly condemned. This demonstrates their authoritarian and repressive mindset. Anil Baluni, the BJP’s national media in-charge, tweeted, “BJP strongly opposes this terrible attitude of the Alliance.
In a statement, the News Broadcasters & Digital Association said it was “deeply anguished and concerned” by the decision of the Opposition alliance.
“The ban on representatives of the opposition alliance from participating in TV news shows anchored by some of India’s top TV news personalities goes against the ethos of democracy. It betokens intolerance and imperils press freedom,” the statement read.
At its first meeting, the INDIA coordination committee, which was met at the residence of Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, yesterday evening, decided to boycott anchors and programs.
The opposition has frequently charged that some media outlets are hostile and incite hatred.
The Congress charged that some media outlets gave Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra little coverage. When the yatra was travelling through the state, it was expressed by Ashok GEhlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan.
The Congress has previously abstained from watching television in May 2019 as well.
“The Congress has decided to not send spokespersons on television debates for a month. All media channels/editors are requested to not place Congress representatives on their shows,” senior party leader Randeep Surjewala had posted on Twitter, now renamed X.
