This decision was taken in the meeting of the media related committee of the opposition alliance ‘INDIA’. The media committee of the opposition alliance said in a statement, “As per the decision taken by the ‘INDIA’ coordination committee in its meeting on September 13, 2023, the parties of the opposition alliance will not send their representatives to the shows and programs of these 14 anchors.’ ‘
NBDA said, “The decision of the media committee of the opposition alliance has set a dangerous precedent. The ban on representatives of the opposition alliance from participating in TV news shows run by some of India’s top TV news personalities is against the ethos of democracy.
Pawan Kheda had tweeted
Pawan Kheda, head of the media department of the Congress and a member of the media committee of the opposition alliance, said, “Every day from 5 pm, shops of hatred are set up on some channels. We will not become customers of the market of hatred. Our aim is a hate-free India.”
Hate shops are decorated on some channels every day from 5 pm onwards.
We will not become customers of the market of hate. Our aim is ‘Hate Free India’.
With a heavy heart it was decided not to participate in the shows and events of some anchors. Unrestrained against our leaders… pic.twitter.com/2xhxh2Hm9h— Pawan Khera (@Pawankhera) September 14, 2023
Kheda also said, “With a heavy heart it has been decided that we will not participate in the shows and programs of some anchors. We have been fighting against unrestrained comments and fake news against our leaders and will continue to fight. But will not allow hatred to spread in the society. Hate will disappear, love will prevail.
BJP leaders strongly criticized the decision
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned this move. The party’s chief spokesperson and MP Anil Baluni issued a statement saying that the opposition parties have demonstrated their oppressive, dictatorial and negative mentality. Baluni said that BJP strongly opposes such distorted mentality which curbs the freedom of expression.
“The media was strangled during the Emergency,” he said. The parties involved in this ‘arrogant’ alliance are working with the same anarchic and emergency mentality. Baluni alleged that such ‘open threat’ to the media is tantamount to suppressing the voice of the people.
Hardeep Singh Puri also surrounded Congress
BJP leader and Union Minister Hardeep Puri compared this move of the alliance of opposition parties to Emergency. He posted on ‘X’, “The only example of curtailment of civil liberties in India we have seen was during the Emergency in 1975. The open call to abolish Sanatan Dharma, FIR against journalists and boycott of media reflects the politics of those dark days of Emergency. This is the real face of INDIA Alliance.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur targeted
Union Minister Anurag Thakur also targeted the opposition alliance and said that this step shows their frustration. Addressing a public meeting in Bhilwara, Rajasthan, he said, “Every day the leaders of Congress and their allies say that they will destroy Sanatan Dharma. He leaves no stone unturned in insulting Hindus. Now they have also started boycotting journalists and filing cases.
JP Nadda also reacted
BJP national president JP Nadda has also reacted to Congress’s decision. He wrote – “There are many examples in the history of Congress of intimidating the media and silencing those with different views. Pandit Nehru restricted freedom of speech and arrested those who criticized him. Indira ji’s ways of doing this She is a gold medalist in the UPA. She called for a committed judiciary, a committed bureaucracy and imposed a terrifying emergency. Rajiv ji tried to bring the media under state control but failed miserably. Sonia ji led UPA social media handles But the ban was being imposed only because Congress did not like his views.”
The history of Congress has many instances of bullying the media and silencing those with differing views.
Pandit Nehru curtailed free speech and arrested those who criticized him.
Indira Ji remains the Gold Medal winner of how to do it- called for committed judiciary,…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) September 14, 2023
National Union of Journalists also expressed objection
Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) termed the boycott as an attack on democracy. NUJ alleged that opposition parties have politicized the media. Rash Bihari, President of the National Union of Journalists, associated with the International Federation of Journalists, said in a statement that this decision of the opposition parties is a ‘dark chapter’ of repression on the media in the democratic history of India.
The News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) criticized the opposition alliance’s decision to boycott 14 anchors, saying it jeopardizes the freedom of the press. This is against the ethos of democracy.