'Nothing Is Permanent': I.N.D.I.A After BJP Alleges Boycott Of Anchors Can Be Traced Back To Emergency

Congress has said that the decision to not attend the programmes of some media anchors is not "permanent" and the same can be revoked on certain conditions.

Congress leader Pawan Khera

Amid the debate over I.N.D.I. alliance leaders' decision to not attend the programmes of 14 anchors, the Congress party has said it is not a 'permanent' call. Party leader Pawan Khera rejected the terms 'boycott', 'blacklist' and 'ban' to refer to the decision and called it a 'non-cooperation movement'. He said the coalition has not banned anyone, adding that the opposition has decided to not cooperate with anyone "spreading hatred in the society".

"We have not banned, boycotted or blacklisted anyone. This is a non-cooperation movement, we will not cooperate with anyone spreading hatred in the society...They are not our enemies," he said while responding to the question that BJP has said 'rather than the media, the opposition should ban Rahul Gandhi'.

#WATCH | On INDIA alliance's announcement to boycott several TV news anchors, Congress leader Pawan Khera says "We have not banned, boycotted or blacklisted anyone. This is a non-cooperation movement, we will not cooperate with anyone spreading hatred in the society...They are… pic.twitter.com/ehBoCsNEBQ

— ANI (@ANI) September 16, 2023

He said if the said media anchors "realise what they were doing is not good for India", they will again start attending their shows as "nothing is permanent".

Meanwhile, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that "boycott and media censorship can be traced back to 1975", pointing towards the emergency during former PM Indira Gandhi's reign.

#WATCH | Jabalpur, MP: On the INDIA alliance's announcement to boycott several TV news anchors, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "This boycott and media censorship can be traced back to 1975. It is not new. It is a rehearsal for you. For any reason, if the Congress government… pic.twitter.com/kX5ayDkrWa

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) September 16, 2023

"...It is not new. It is a rehearsal for you. For any reason, if the Congress government comes to power, the media will get censored but ISRO has made the Chandrayaan at the right time. I will send the entire Congress party to the moon, to form government there...This is childish..." Sarma said.

BJP took to X, formerly Twitter, and shared a photograph showing former PM Indira Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apparently attacking and blocking the press.

I.N.D.I. Alliance is a threat to democracy! pic.twitter.com/ji79xqBqzT

— BJP (@BJP4India) September 16, 2023

"I.N.D.I. Alliance is a threat to democracy!" the caption read.