Personal Remarks Against Rahul Gandhi: Congress Blacklists India Today’s Rahul Kanwal
The Congress Party has announced it will no longer engage with India Today anchor Rahul Kanwal following his handling of comments made during a programme featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The decision comes after a controversial exchange at the Agenda Aaj Tak event, where Shah made remarks about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, which escalated into personal innuendos.
Pawan Khera, Chairman of the Congress Party’s Media and Publicity Department, confirmed the boycott in a strongly-worded statement. “The Congress Party has always stood for freedom of the press and respects fair journalism—not when those carrying a press card are actually acting like trolls on behalf of a political party. We do not think it is necessary to engage with such trolls,” Khera said.
He criticised Kanwal for his conduct, saying, “It has therefore been decided to blacklist India Today’s Rahul Kanwal, who was brazenly kowtowing to the self-styled Chanakya who made outrageous innuendos on the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. We gave Kanwal a chance the last time when he regretted his conduct, but he has turned out to be a repeat offender. By participating, we cannot qualify what he does in the name of journalism.”
Khera also questioned the lack of journalistic integrity during the event, lambasting Kanwal for allegedly encouraging Shah’s remarks. “What was more shameless? The Home Minister indulging in cheap, gutter-level gossip about Mr Rahul Gandhi or Rahul Kanwal deriving cheap thrills egging Amit Shah and the audience? Would Kanwal have the guts to ask Shah about the abandoned wife of Modi? Would Kanwal have the guts to ask Shah about snoop gate?” Khera asked.
The controversy stems from comments made by Shah, who suggested Rahul Gandhi’s “source of inspiration” for raising allegations was from abroad. “I don’t know why Rahul Gandhi always gets his inspiration from abroad. This country has a Comptroller and Auditor General, a Vigilance Commissioner, High Courts, Supreme Court, but the allegation does not come from them. Every time a Parliament session is on, there is an allegation from outside, and he talks about them,” Shah said.
When Kanwal pressed Shah to clarify, the Union Minister deflected, calling it a “personal matter.” But he added that public knows better. Than, a member of the audience added fuel to the discussion by suggesting on the microphone that someone associated with Rahul Gandhi “lives abroad… a Mrs.” Shah responded with laughter, adding, “He (Rahul Gandhi) goes abroad… that’s why he is saying that.”
This is not the first time Congress has raised concerns about Kanwal’s programmes. In July, the party boycotted his show after he allowed BJP leader Amit Malviya’s controversial remarks on the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to go unchallenged.
