Expressing concern over the continuous attacks on the freedom of the press, senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said that he would raise the issue next week during the debate in the Upper House on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
Talking to UNI, Mr Azad said, ‘ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, there have been continuous attempts to control the press which is not a healthy sign for Indian Democracy.. Today, freedom of the press is a big issue and it is necessary to help the media come out of this crisis.’
Mr Azad said that the Congress would fight for the freedom of the press. ‘Wherever there is an attack on the freedom of the press and an attempt to curb their freedom, then the Congress will be in the forefront to fight for the freedom of the Fourth Estate of Democracy,’ he said.
Mr Azad said that during the debate on the Motion of thanks to the President’s address, he would put across his point of view on the various aspects of the attack on the freedom of the press.
‘Attack on freedom of the press cannot be tolerated in a Democracy,’ Mr Azad said.
He said that while the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament is well written it is far removed from reality.
‘Country cannot be run with words alone. Timely and right action is needed to run the country in an organised manner. The Narendra Modi Government has failed in doing this. While on one hand it talks about social tolerance, on the other hand people who vitiate the atmosphere are made ministers,’ the Congress leader said. (UNI)
