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Updated: Jun 11, 2019 14:16 IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday criticised Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over the arrest of journalists for sharing and broadcasting alleged derogatory comments against the CM.

“If every journalist who files a false report or peddles fake, vicious RSS/BJP sponsored propaganda about me is put in jail, most newspapers/ news channels would face a severe staff shortage. The UP CM is behaving foolishly & needs to release the arrested journalists.” Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Rahul’s comments for protecting media freedom against the backdrop of 3 journalists including Prashant Kanojia have evoked a sharp response from the BJP.

Also read: Wife of journalist moves SC challenging his arrest for post on Yogi Adityanath

.@hd_kumaraswamy anna, your friend @rahulgandhi thinks you are behaving foolishly by arresting people who are posting memes or writing blogs against you. But he is scared to name you, fearing that you will pull the plug & his party will be out of power in Karnataka! Listen to him https://t.co/MWkmrrxqc3 — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) June 11, 2019

Neither Yogi Adityanath nor the BJP in Uttar Pradesh responded to the dart hurled by Rahul Gandhi at the UP Chief Minister. But the BJP unit in Karnataka, where a couple of journalists were held for posts that the chief minister found offensive, hit back.

Karnataka BJP went on to list names of journalists who faced action from the Karnataka government.

Your CM @hd_kumaraswamy openly threatens & abuses journalists.



Journalist Santosh Thammaiah arrested for speaking against atrocity of Tippu.



FIR filed on @VishweshwarBhat for reporting on CM’s sons behaviour.



You’re exactly how a human version of ‘Hypocrisy’ would look like. https://t.co/MWkmrrxqc3 — BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) June 11, 2019

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi too tweeted on the issue, supporting her brother, she said, “Uttar Pradesh government is using fear to control journalists, farmers and representatives instead of taking care of people’s issues.”

Also read:Supreme Court orders immediate release of journalist arrested for post against Yogi Adityanath