Rahul Gandhi gets flak for calling PM Narendra Modi's interview with ANI's Smita Prakash as a 'staged' and said that it was conducted by a 'pliable journalist'.


Jaitley tweeted, "The Grandson of the Emergency dictator displays his real DNA attacks and intimidates an independent Editor."


The Congress president Wednesday drew sharp criticism from the National Union of Journalists (India) for his comments. @smitaprakash tweeted, "Dear Mr Rahul Gandhi, cheap shot at your press conference to attack me. I was asking questions not answering. You want to attack Mr Modi, go ahead but downright absurd to ridicule me. Not expected of a president of the oldest political party in the country."


Senior journalist Suhasini Haidar tweeted, "By using terms like "pliable", "presstitute","paid media", our political establishment, aided by their troll armies, show their scant respect for the fourth estate.  Shameful comment by the Congress President."


Saying that the Congress president must apologise to journalists for his remarks, BJPs national media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni said: "This has been the Congresss mindset about independent journalism. Rahul Gandhis DNA is of the Emergency. His party has a history of throttling journalism. He should apologise to the countrys journalists for his petty remarks.


During a press conference on Wednesday, Rahul told reporters: He (Modi) does not have the guts to come and sit in front of you. And I am coming here you can ask me any question I come here once in seven-ten days and you saw the Prime Ministers interview yesterdaymatlab pliable journalist, woh question bi kar rahi thi, pradhan mantri ka answer bi de rahi thi, side mein (she was asking questions as well as giving answers).
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