Congress slammed for hypocrisy over press freedom after FIRs on DD journalists

New Delhi: The Congress, which has consistently called out the Modi government over India’s sliding press freedom rankings, has now brazenly resorted to silencing dissent.

The latest assault on two senior journalists comes from the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, which used its official letterhead to file police complaints against Doordarshan journalists Ashok Shrivastava and Prakhar Shrivastava.

On May 9, 2025, Karnataka Congress leader CM Dhananjaya filed complaints with Bengaluru’s High Grounds Police Station, accusing the journalists of making “communal, unverified, and derogatory statements” on social media.

So, on one hand @INCIndia cries about India falling in ranking of "Press Freedom Index", on the other it is trying to hound two senior journalists @AshokShrivasta6 and @Prakharshri78 by using Karnataka police.
Fascism??
The complaints have been filed on official letterheads.… pic.twitter.com/JizUBCZXL0

— Neeraj Atri Mushrik (@AtriNeeraj) June 13, 2025

The complaint, lodged on party letterhead, has already led to the registration of FIRs.

Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Jairam Ramesh, have repeatedly accused the BJP of intimidating journalists and suppressing free speech, citing India’s drop in the World Press Freedom Index—from 136th in 2017 to 159th in 2024. Yet, the party’s move to invoke police action against journalists tells a different story.

A day earlier, on May 8, the Indian Youth Congress filed a separate complaint against Ashok Shrivastava for his remarks about Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on a Doordarshan broadcast.

Political observers point to the 1975-77 Emergency, when the Congress government imposed harsh restrictions on the media. Today’s events, they say, revive concerns about the party’s legacy and its approach to democratic norms.

As the grand old party continues to demand accountability from its rivals over media freedoms, its actions in Karnataka risk undermining that message.

Such FIRs and intimidation are not limited to Karnataka. Since 2023, Congress-ruled states—Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh—have witnessed a series of cases filed against journalists.

Notably, Karnataka stands out as the most notorious in this regard. The state has seen a sharp spike in FIRs and legal notices against journalists, especially those critical of the party and its leadership, particularly the Gandhi family.

Major police actions against journalists and YouTubers by Karnataka Congress government between May 2023–June 2025

1. Arrest of BJP media worker Shakuntala H.S. (July 2023)

Bengaluru Police arrested BJP’s Tumakuru social media co-convener, Shakuntala H.S., after a Congress worker complained about her tweet referencing the Udupi college washroom video row and making a rhetorical comment about the CM’s family. She was booked under IPC Section 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), granted bail the same day, and the arrest was widely criticized as an attack on dissent.

2. FIR against Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary (September 2023)

An FIR was registered against senior TV journalist Sudhir Chaudhary for a September 11 broadcast questioning the Karnataka government’s “Swavalambi Sarathi” scheme. Authorities accused him of spreading “fake news” and inciting communal hatred (IPC 153A, among others). Chaudhary confirmed the FIR and said he was prepared to fight the case in court.

3. FIR and summons to BJP national leaders over election animation (May 2024)

Police booked BJP president J.P. Nadda, IT-cell chief Amit Malviya, and Karnataka BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra over an election video posted from BJP’s official X handle, alleging it fomented enmity by depicting Congress leaders neglecting Dalits/OBCs in favor of Muslims. The case was filed under IPC Section 505(2) and the Representation of People Act. Karnataka High Court has stayed further probe against Nadda and Malviya.

4. Arrest of right-wing YouTuber Vinit Naik (“Bhiku Mhatre”) (May 2024)

Karnataka Cyber Crime police arrested Mumbai-based YouTuber “Bhiku Mhatre” for posts alleging the Congress would “redistribute Hindu wealth to Muslims” and for sharing an edited video targeting the CM. FIRs invoked IPC 153A (promoting enmity) and IT Act 66C. Naik was arrested in Goa and brought to Bengaluru; the action was denounced as political vendetta by his supporters.

5. FIR and summons to YouTuber Ajeet Bharti (June 2024)

On June 15, 2024, an FIR was filed against Noida-based YouTuber Ajeet Bharti over a video falsely claiming Rahul Gandhi would “bring back Babri Masjid.” The complaint, filed by the Congress legal cell, accused Bharti of “blatant lies” and inciting discord. Karnataka Police served notice at his Noida home (with a brief standoff with UP Police). The High Court has granted Bharti interim protection.

6. FIR and attempted arrest of YouTuber “Sameer MD” (March 2025)

Kannada YouTuber Sameer MD was booked under Section 299 of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for a video discussing the controversial Sowjanya murder case and allegedly making statements that could “outrage religious feelings” about Dharmasthala temple authorities. Police attempted to arrest him the same night the FIR was lodged. High Court later stayed the arrest, pending further hearings.

Karnataka remains far more notorious than Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, both in terms of the number of cases and the pattern of invoking serious criminal charges for journalistic work inconvenient for the party leadership.

Even though the Congress is not in power at the Centre, law and order is a state subject. With governments in three states, the party wields more than enough authority to silence dissent.