New Delhi: Reacting to an India Today journalist’s allegation that he was assaulted by Rahul Gandhi’s team in the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Congress of “indulging in brutality.”
Addressing a gathering in poll-bound Kashmir’s Doda, PM Modi also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Mohabbat ki dukaan‘ pitch to question the cruelty meted out to the journalist in the US.
“They (Congress) claim to be running Mohabbat ki dukaan. But a journalist of our country was subjected to cruelty in the USA by Congress. A son of India was insulted in the USA. Those who claim to be champions of freedom of speech indulged in brutality,” Modi, who became the first Prime Minister to visit Doda in 42 years, said.
Rohit Sharma, the India Today correspondent, has alleged that he was manhandled by Congress workers in Dallas when he was interviewing Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda. The incident happened just before Rahul Gandhi landed in the US for a three-day visit.
Sharma said a member of Gandhi’s team termed his question to Pitroda about Hindus being targeted and killed in Bangladesh as “controversial”.
Reacting to the incident, Pitroda said he did not appreciate this kind of treatment and assured that he would look into the matter.
“I will look into it. I don’t approve of anybody being mishandled. I do not approve of, you know, not giving respect to journalists. I do not approve of these things,” Pitroda said during an interview with India Today TV.
The Indian Overseas Congress chief asserted that he always treated journalists with respect and dignity and stood for a “free press”.
“I am for free press. You know me. I am for respect and dignity. All I can tell you is I will find out (what happened),” Pitroda further said.