Congress even amended Constitution to curb free speech while Modi, Vajpayee never banned any media house: Rajnath

Addressing a gathering of senior RSS leaders at an event, ‘Baat Bharat Ki’, to mark 75 years of Panchjanya, the RSS-affiliated Hindi weekly magazine, Singh said the Congress, which was then in power, had banned Panchjanya within a month of its launch, taking advantage of the atmosphere created after Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. Stating that Panchjanya always became the first target of those in power, he said while the court gave relief, its publication was again stopped by the Congress within a month.

“The repeated crackdown on Panchjanya was not only an attack on nationalist journalism but also a complete violation of Freedom of Expression,” he said.

With the enactment of the Constitution on January 26, 1950, its architects ensured Freedom of Expression for every citizen under Article 19 of the Constitution, Singh said. “But, to curb and crush nationalist ideology, soon the then rulers amended the Constitution and put restrictions on it.”

He said to ensure a strong democracy, separation of power among legislature, executive and judiciary is ensured. The media – the fourth pillar of democracy – and its freedom is also important for a strong and vibrant democracy. The Constitution makers ensured this through Article 19, he said. “What happened in 1951, which is only after one year [of the enactment of the Constitution], that there was a need to amend our Constitution which was considered as the best in the world?”

“The reason was very clear. The Congress party, which was ruling the country at that time, was averse to any kind of opposition,” he said, adding that everyone has the right to protest in a democracy. “But the Congress was so eager to stifle any kind of criticism that it changed the Constitution itself.”

He said the Congress was so upset with two magazines – ‘Crossroads’, which was inspired by Left ideology, and the RSS-affiliated ‘Organiser’— that it banned both. “But when the court overturned the decision, the Congress government made up its mind to amend the Constitution,” he said.

He said the passage of the first amendment to the Constitution was debated for several days. “The Congress had a majority in the House, so the Bill had to be passed. But Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s vigorous debate on Freedom of Expression that took place in the House on this Bill is as relevant today as it was in the 1950s,” Singh said.

Stating that a debate has started in the country again on Freedom of Expression, Singh said, “Those who allege violation of media freedom today forget that whether it is Atalji’s government or Modiji’s government, they never imposed any ban on any media house, nor did they curtail in any manner anyone’s right to free speech and expression. While the Congress government even amended the Constitution to curb free speech.”

“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others,” he said. “The entire history of the Congress party is replete with incidents of violation of all kinds of freedoms.”

Stating that the country has progressed significantly towards self-reliance today, Singh said the media needs to cooperate as well in this direction. “I do not say that the media should not criticise, but where there is a question of national interest, it is not right to criticise for the sake of criticism. There should be samalochana (stock-taking). There is no objection to that.”

“A journalist also has the same place in society as that of a teacher. One who tampers with news cannot be a journalist. There should be no partiality in news selection.”