New Delhi: The arrest of a private news channel editor-in-chief in a two-year-old suicide abetment case has created a stir, on Wednesday, where BJP hit out at Congress party by calling it "Italian Mafia", while the opposition party reiterated to the allegations, terming it "selective outrage" of the people in power.
Earlier today, BJP targeted Congress party during a press conference, where party spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that the "Italian Mafia" stops individuals from supporting and standing by the "truth".
When asked about the matter, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "I am actually shocked with the selective outrage of BJP, of sections of the Government because why were they silent when Prashant Kanojia was jailed for months after he exposed a scam where children were being served salt and chapati, in Mirzapur? Why were they selectively silent when sedition charges were slapped against journalists? Why were they silent when a case was being filed against Supriya Sharma because she exposed the pathetic state of affairs in a village?"
"This selective outrage is extremely unwarranted, shameful and they should be ashamed of saying anything," she further added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also slammed the opposition party, by tweeting, "Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again. Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV and Arnav Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and The Fourth pillar of democracy. It reminds us of the emergency. This attack on Free press must be and will be opposed."
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also condemned the incident, saying that it's an attack on the press freedom in Maharastra, which is "reminding" the days of Emergency.
"BJP should be the last person talking on the freedom of press. The way they control media through advertisements, through intimidation and fear, is absolutely shameful. I'm reasonably certain that wherever Congress is in Government or we are in alliance, people will not be punished if they are innocent, while the law will take its own course," replied Supriya Shrinate.
Goswami had claimed that he was manhandled and assaulted by the police at his Mumbai Home before being pushed into their van.
Shrinate, who herself was a journalist for more than two decades hit out at Goswami, saying, "I'm ashamed of the fact that the said individual has brought complete disgrace and shame to journalism. What he does in the garb of journalism is the work of a BJP frontal, to accuse people, to hurl abuses, to make any sort of allegations, the kind of language that he uses, is he judge or jury?"
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