Media's role now is to distract, no longer of a watchdog: Rahul Gandhi

Hoshiarpur (Punjab) [India], January 17 : Lashing out at the "structure of media", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday claimed that "hatred is being spread in the media", while also alleging that it is playing the role of "distraction instead of a watchdog".
Gandhi called for an "independent media and institutions" citing his party's philosophy, and said that media is a "feedback channel" for the Congress governments.
"The media is being controlled and pressured. The reporters are not at much fault. You have constraints. You have to do what your owner tells you to do. I understand as you tell me. I'm not criticising you. I'm criticising the structure of media," he said.
"Congress' philosophy is of an independent media and institutions. Even if Congress wants to control media, we do not have the capability of implementing it because our structure is not as centralised as the BJP. We want independent and fair media," Gandhi added.
Alleging that media is playing the "role of distraction", the Congress leader said that it should rather play the "role of a watchdog".
"Hatred is being spread in the media. The media is playing the role of distraction instead of a watchdog. Your role should be of a watchdog. The small businessmen are being crushed, farmers are being looted, but you distract by doing Hindu-Muslim, Bollywood, sports," he said.
Gandhi said that the media should put pressure on the government.
"If you were given freedom, you would have asked about the data which we have presented here. You should be raising the issues like farmers' issues, and employment issues. We would like the media which puts pressure on the government. You are feedback channels for the Congress governments," he said.
Gandhi, while responding to a question on his 'security lapse' during the Bharat Jodo Yatra today, said that he saw the person who came to hug him.
"I could see a person who came to hug me, I don't know why you are calling it a lapse. There is a lot of enthusiasm in this Yatra and it happens. Security people checked him and he was just excited," he said.
A man who tried to hug Rahul Gandhi during Bharat Jodo Yatra in Hoshiarpur was later pulled away by workers.
The Congress leader also slammed the BJP and RSS alleging that both have "captured all the institutions of India". He said that there is a fight between the institutions which have been "captured" by the BJP and the opposition.
"The BJP and RSS have captured all the institutions of India. This is not the political fight like it used to be earlier. Now there is a fight between the institutions which have been captured and the Opposition. EVM is one of those factors. The attacks on the Oppostion leaders through CBI, ED, and Pegasus. This is not a normal democratic functioning," he said.
"There are attacks on farmers from multiple angles. They are not being given protection. We had given them protection during UPA through loan waivers and MSP," Gandhi added.
Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed at Jhingar Khurd village of Hoshiarpur's Tanda in Punjab on Tuesday. The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 last year, will end in Srinagar on January 30, with Rahul hoisting the tricolour there.