Sonia Gandhi, Media Pressure and Free Speech in India

Another thing that is missing in this so-called love and belonging memoir is how ruthless and cruel Sonia Gandhi was when it came to trampling freedom of speech of journalists.

This is an article which Kanchanda wrote in 2012.

It says, "Indians will choose Ram Rajya over Rome Rajya."

You know what happened the next day? Sonia Gandhi's secretary, Vincent George, called up the editor of Pioneer and sacked Kanchanda.

Kanchanda was on the street without a job for two years.

This is what happened. This was the state of journalism.

And today, the same people like Sanjaya cry over emergency.

Where was Sanjaya then? Did he side with Kanchanda?

Did he stand up with Kanchanda's freedom of expression?

No, he didn't. He was silent. This is the problem in this country.

Well, I can tell you something. Okay. One second. On that point, I want to tell you something, uh, and this is perhaps the first time that I will be speaking about it from a public platform. Sanjaya, I'm sorry you mentioned this.

That there were enough people who were managing the media.

Personally, I was, uh, called several times as the head of newsrooms to make changes under pressure.

And viewers, when you stood up to that pressure, which we did, there were consequences.

We faced consequences. I'll say this. So all those people who talk about Godi media today are the same ones who never hesitated in picking up phones and issuing threats.

Remember, this was the government that went ahead and created an enabling architecture for one of the most draconian pieces of legislation, of policymaking, of rules, 66A.

Please go check, viewers, and see how many people fell foul of that.

Anyhow.