Guwahati:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a jibe at the leaders of INDIA alliance on Thursday following their announcement of boycotting some of the journalists and said that the opposition leader has proved their “intolerant attitude”.

Mr Sarma further attacked the INDIA alliance claiming that if INDIA alliance came to power they would be imposing press censorship.

“Today, the INDIA alliance has boycotted a few journalists. The same people who were lecturing us on freedom of speech, by boycotting news anchors they have proved their intolerant attitude. If these people come to government, the first thing they will do is impose the press censorship,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma.

INDIA bloc released a list of the names of the 14 TV anchors that will be boycotted in the upcoming days. Informing about the decision, Congress leader Pawan Khera took to X and said, “The following decision was taken by the INDIA media committee in a virtual meeting held this afternoon. Judega Bharat Jeetega India.”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the decision of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to boycott certain shows of journalists and called their mindset “highly repressive, dictatorial and negative.”

“The Bharatiya Janata Party today strongly criticised and condemned the decision of all the constituents of the “ghamandiya” alliance – I.N.D.I Alliance to boycott some journalists and the threat issued to them. By taking such a highly deplorable decision, the “ghamandiya” alliance has once again revealed its highly repressive, dictatorial and negative mindset. The Bharatiya Janata Party severely criticises the unfortunate step of the I.N.D.I Alliance,” an official statement issued by the party said.

BJP said that it severely opposes such a derogatory mentality which hinders freedom of expression.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Thursday accused the Opposition bloc- INDIA of “bullying the media” and “threatening individual journalists”.

In his post on X, JP Nadda also came down heavily on Congress, alleging that the grand old party has several instances of ‘silencing’ those with differing views. “The history of Congress has many instances of bullying the media and silencing those with differing views. Pandit Nehru curtailed free speech and arrested those who criticised him. Indira Ji remains the Gold Medal winner of how to do it- called for committed judiciary, committed bureaucracy and imposed the horrific Emergency,” Mr Nadda said.

He further said that former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi tried to bring media under state control but failed “miserably”. “Sonia Ji-led UPA was banning social media handles simply because the Congress did not like their views,” he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)