Boycotting Rahul Kanwal ‘s TV show after BJP leader’s ‘obnoxious’ comments: Congress
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New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday announced that it was boycotting television show of journalist Rahul Kanwal on the India Today channel for allowing the BJP leader Amit Malviya to make ‘obnoxious remarks’ on the show against the leaders of the grand old party.
During the show on Monday, Amit Malviya reportedly said that Congress leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated ‘for the political decisions they took’.
Sikh bodyguards shot dead Indira Gandhi in 1984 after she ordered army to enter the Golden temple to remove Sikh separatist leader Jarnail Bhindranwale taking refuge there.
In 1991 Sri Lankan Tamil separatist organisation Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam killed Rajiv Gandhi in a bomb blast following his decision to send the Indian Peace Keeping Force to the island nation in 1987 to disarm the Tamil rebels.
Following the show, a snippet of Malviya’s comment was posted on Kanwal’s X account which continued to stay there as of 8.10 pm on Tuesday.
‘There have been very unpopular incidents that have happened with both Indira [Gandhi] and Rajiv [Gandhi],’ Malviya reportedly said, adding ‘We condemn that. But the progeny of the Gandhis [Rahul Gandhi] today is actually wishing death and assault on Prime Minister Modi’.
The comments were made in the wake of attack on former US president Donald Trump on Sunday.
Pawan Khera, the chief of Congress’ publicity department reportedly said that ‘The obnoxious remarks made by BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya belittling the martyrdom of former Prime Ministers of India and other great leaders, were allowed to go unchallenged by @rahulkanwal [Kanwal] on his show televised on July 15.’
Pawan Khera pointed out that show host Kanwal did not allow the party spokesperson to ‘complete her counter and was interjected.’
Khera accused the anchor of having “amplified the same remarks” on his X account, adding Khera said “On being pointed out, the anchor said his producer had tweeted it”.
“Having waited the entire day, we realise the anchor does not intend to delete or distance himself and the channel from the comment,” the Congress leader was quoted as saying.
