Rahul Gandhi made the remark at an election rally in Nashik, Maharashtra.

New Delhi:

The Mumbai Press Club criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his “authoritarian attitude towards working journalists” and said his “repeated targeting of journalists” raises concerns over “how his party could address the press if he returned to power”.

The media body’s strong remarks come after Mr Gandhi pointed out some journalists at an election rally in Maharashtra and called them “slaves of their owners”. “It’s not their fault. I like them. They have to work, collect salaries, finance their children’s education, put food on the table, so they can’t do anything against their owners,” he declared.

Rahul Gandhi’s authoritarian attitude towards working journalists is deeply disturbing and deserves serious concern.

At an election rally in Amaravati, Maharashtra, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, made sweeping remarks on working journalists, accusing… pic.twitter.com/14BcfAt0qz

– Mumbai Press Club (@mumbaipressclub) November 17, 2024

The Mumbai Press Club said the remarks were “disguised as concern” about the plight of journalists, but its comments had “a tone of condescension”. He adds that the working conditions of journalists today are the result of contractualization motivated in part by the policies of past Congressional administrations.

“Has Mr. Gandhi ever thought about the root causes of the challenges facing working journalists in India and the state of journalism as a whole? The precarious conditions of journalists today stem largely from widespread contractualization, driven in part by neoliberal policies introduced by the Congress-led government in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Until then, journalists had fought for and won significant rights, including unionization and better working conditions, but contractualization allowed monopolistic media to fire journalists at will, weakening unions and leaving them vulnerable,” he said in an article on X.

“If Mr Gandhi is serious about tackling the plight of journalists, perhaps he should redirect his criticism towards media owners and structural problems within the industry. The ever-present threat of dismissal, combined with an offer surplus of unemployed and underemployed journalists, It is unrealistic to expect working journalists to rebel against the system at great personal risk,” the Mumbai Press Club added.

“While we recognize the immense challenges posed by the current government’s authoritarian tendencies towards the media, it is equally worrying to witness Mr. Gandhi’s repeated attacks on journalists. His rhetoric raises legitimate concerns about how his party might approach the press if it were to return to power. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is rightly criticized for avoiding open press conferences, Mr. Gandhi’s recurring mockery of journalists also deserves reprimand,” he said.

The Mumbai Press Club, the statement said, has always opposed the violation of the rights of journalists, whether by ruling parties, media owners or other forces. “We therefore view the opposition leader’s authoritarian approach towards working journalists as a matter of grave concern. Constructive dialogue and accountability, not dismissive remarks, are what the media and the public deserve. democracy,” he said.