Rahul faces flak for insulting media again after response to BJP criticism

On Tuesday, the BJP sharply criticised Rahul Gandhi’s response to a journalist who asked about the ruling party’s criticism of the Congress leader. Rahul Gandhi had countered with the question “why do you always say what BJP is saying,” which the BJP accused of being an attack on the media.

The former Congress president, who was walking into the Congress headquarters here, was asked about the BJP’s allegation that he tried to pressure the judiciary after he was joined by a large number of party leaders and workers while filing an appeal in a Surat court against his conviction in a defamation case on Monday.

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Gandhi walked back to the media posse and asked, “Why do you always say what BJP is saying? Every time you say what BJP is saying.”

“There is a very simple thing. Who owns the Rs 20,000 cr in Adani ji’s shell companies? It is benami. Who owns it,” Gandhi said, reiterating his allegations.

20,000 करोड़ अडानी की शेल कंपनियों में बेनामी पैसे किसके हैं – प्रधानमंत्री चुप, कोई जवाब नहीं!

2000 sq km ज़मीन चीन ने छीन ली, जगहों के नाम भी बदल रहे – प्रधानमंत्री चुप, कोई जवाब नहीं!

प्रधानमंत्री जी, आख़िर इतना डर क्यों? pic.twitter.com/lBUIWczOGs

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 4, 2023

In a tweet later, Gandhi questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” and asked why is he “frightened”.

Targeting him, the BJP said that “insulting the country’s backward classes and the media is Rahul Gandhi’s mindset” and called him an “arrogant dynast”.

“Rahul Gandhi has again attacked the fourth pillar of democracy. Insulting the country’s backward classes and the media is Rahul Gandhi’s mindset.

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“He is following in the footsteps of his grandmother with his audacity to frequently attack the country’s democratic system,” BJPs chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni tweeted.

राहुल गांधी ने आज फिर से लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तम्भ पर कुठाराघात किया है।

देश के पिछड़े वर्ग का अपमान, मीडिया का अपमान- यही राहुल गांधी की मानसिकता है।

ऐसा कर राहुल गांधी अपनी दादी के ही पदचिह्नों पर चलते हुए देश की लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था पर लगातार हमला करने का दुस्साहस कर रहे हैं।

— Anil Baluni (@anil_baluni) April 4, 2023

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Rahul is an arrogant dynast.”

Question to Rahul: BJP is saying you are pressuring judiciary

Rahul Gandhi: Why do you say what BJP says

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Once again this arrogant dynast Rahul Gandhi shoots the messenger

After Hawa Nikal Di jibe now Rahul again attacks media for asking a legitimate question… pic.twitter.com/W2R1gs6wOz

— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) April 4, 2023

Gandhi’s snub to a journalist during a recent press conference had drawn flak after he was asked about the BJPs allegation of insulting OBCs with his “Modi surname” jibe.

Noting that the question was asked to him at the conference twice already, he had accused the reporter of working for the BJP and told him not to “pretend” to be a journalist.

(With agency inputs)