The Mumbai Press Club has expressed concern over Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s recent comments during an election rally in Amravati, Maharashtra, where he referred to journalists as “slaves of their owners.” In a statement, the club urged Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, to address systemic challenges faced by journalists rather than making dismissive remarks.

“While cloaked in concern for journalists, Rahul Gandhi’s remarks carried a tone of condescension that warrants closer scrutiny,” the statement said. It emphasised that criticism should be directed at media owners and structural issues in the industry that contribute to precarious working conditions for journalists.

The club pointed out that many challenges faced by journalists today, such as job insecurity and weakened unions, stem from the contractualisation of media jobs. It linked this trend to neoliberal policies introduced during Congress-led governments in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which allowed media monopolies to erode workers’ rights and dismiss journalists at will.

“If Rahul Gandhi genuinely seeks to improve the conditions of journalists, he should critique media ownership practices and structural industry issues rather than target working reporters, who are often at the mercy of these systems,” the statement advised.

Drawing comparisons, the club highlighted that Gandhi’s rhetoric should be scrutinised just as much as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s evasion of press conferences. “While Modi is rightly rebuked for evading press interactions, Gandhi’s repeated mockery of journalists also warrants scrutiny, as it raises questions about how his party might handle the press if it were to return to power,” it stated.

Acknowledging the current authoritarian challenges faced by the media under the BJP government, the club called for constructive dialogue and accountability rather than dismissive rhetoric. “Journalists need support, not derision. Democracy demands respect for the media, not high-handed remarks from political leaders,” it concluded.