Senior Congress leader and Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is being called out by Indian journalists for requesting Indian media to not give any space on their platforms to dignitaries visiting from neighbouring countries.
The Indian leader was referring to Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s interview conducted by different news outlets.
“Would request my friends in the media to not give any prime time space to the dignitaries visiting from our neighbouring country who constantly call for the break up of our country from foreign soil. They don’t deserve a platform here,” the tweet by Singhvi read.
Indian Journalist, Smita Sharma who mostly reports on foreign affairs, called out Singhvi for his advice saying that foreign leaders are not supposed to get government’s clearance before interviewing foreign leaders.
“Our ministers should give I/Vs to Foreign press/critical publications to make their case instead of turning a Foreign Policy event into a domestic poll campaign. Journos are not supposed to get govt clearance before interviewing Foreign leaders who are not on some sanctions list,” she wrote.
Suhasini Haidar who also interviewed Bilawal Bhutto in a tweet called the request “bizarre logic”. “Absolutely bizarre logic-Govt of India invites leaders to a conference, extends full hospitality and courtesies to them, but journalists covering the event must not do their job, must not try and interview the leaders invited?” she wrote.
Amit Malviya, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT cell chief Amit Malviya called the journalists who interviewed BBZ “serviceable” by Pakistan.
“Bilawal Bhutto Zardari wanted to use the opportunity (SCO) to speak directly to the Indian people through our press and seemed to have asked to specifically meet two or three journalists considered by Pakistan to be ‘serviceable’,” he said.
Suhasini Haider, while replying to the accusation said, “Not sure what you mean by “serviceable”, Mr. Malviya, but your personal attacks on Indian journalists is unwarranted, and doesn’t behoove the IT cell chief of the ruling party of a proud democracy like India.”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari went to India last week to attend a moot of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) being held in Goa today (Thursday).
