Dallas, Texas: In a shocking incident during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to the United States, Rohit Sharma, a journalist from India Today, was assaulted by Congress workers for asking a question about the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. The altercation occurred in Dallas, Texas, where Gandhi was expected to arrive for a series of public and political engagements. Sharma had approached Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC), for an exclusive interview ahead of Gandhi’s arrival. What began as a routine interview quickly turned chaotic when Sharma asked a question that sparked anger among Congress supporters present at the event.
Sharma’s interview with Pitroda proceeded smoothly until the journalist posed a question about whether Rahul Gandhi would discuss the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh during his meetings with US lawmakers. This question referenced the recent violence against Hindus in Bangladesh following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. However, before Pitroda could respond, a group of 20 to 30 Congress supporters and close associates of Rahul Gandhi erupted into chaos, accusing Sharma of asking a “controversial” question.
The journalist assaulted by @RahulGandhi’s staff is @DcWalaDesi. Read here in his own words. When he asked @sampitroda about Bangladeshi Hindus, RG staffers illegally confined him, used his face to open the phone & deleted its contents. Cc @DCPoliceDept https://t.co/iww5wLfFkv
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) September 13, 2024
According to Sharma, the group of Congress workers not only interrupted the interview but also became aggressive, snatching his phone and attempting to delete the video recording. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, as the supporters harassed Sharma, preventing him from completing his interview with Pitroda.
In a statement recounting the incident, Sharma explained, “Sam was visibly shaken as I was. He urged for calm, but the Congress workers had already decided to take action. One of them tried to grab my microphone, but I resisted. They then forcibly took my phone and stopped the recording.”
Pitroda, who initially tried to answer Sharma’s question, stated, “It’s up to Rahul and the lawmakers to decide what’s relevant, I can’t speak on their behalf but…,” before being cut off by the commotion. He was then escorted away by the Congress workers under the pretense of preparing for Rahul Gandhi’s arrival.
The aggression toward Sharma did not stop there. At least 15 Congress supporters remained in the room, pressuring him to delete the question from the interview. Despite his insistence that the issue of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh was not controversial and that their actions were unethical, the workers continued to harass him. They eventually unlocked his phone without his consent and manually deleted the video of the interview. Sharma explained that, due to the phone being in airplane mode during the recording, the video had not synced to the cloud, leaving no backup.
Sharma described the ordeal as a “nightmare,” stating, “For 30 agonizing minutes, they searched my phone and deleted the interview. They were desperate to ensure that no trace of the final question remained.”
The Congress workers even discussed keeping Sharma’s phone for an additional four days to ensure the footage would not be recovered. However, Sharma firmly demanded the return of his phone, resisting further harassment. Although he considered calling the police, the situation did not allow for it. Once outside, Sharma contacted Pitroda via text to inform him of what had happened. Pitroda suggested redoing the interview the following day, but this follow-up never materialized.
The assault on Sharma occurred against the backdrop of increasing criticism of Rahul Gandhi and his party’s silence on the recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. Many have questioned why Gandhi has refrained from addressing the issue during his international engagements, particularly given the scale of the violence following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
At a subsequent press event, another journalist from India Today raised the same question about the Hindu attacks in Bangladesh. The question highlights growing concerns about the Congress party’s stance on the issue, as well as the broader implications of violence against minority communities in neighboring countries. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been particularly vocal in criticizing Gandhi and his party for their perceived silence on the matter.
The assault on Sharma has been widely condemned, with many calling it an attack on press freedom and the right of journalists to ask difficult questions. Amit Malviya of the BJP took to X to denounce such an attack and said,” It will be interesting to see if India Today / Aaj Tak make a big issue of it and use their platform to highlight the assault on their journalist. It will be equally interesting to see if Congress doormats like Rajdeep Sardesai take it up on prime time. The silence of out of job Congress leaning YouTube patrakars is eloquent. But will the Press Club of India and other media busy bodies condemn Rahul Gandhi and the Congress for this act of aggression on a fellow journalist? ”
How I was assaulted by Rahul Gandhi's team in Dallas, Texas writes India Today’s Washington contributor Rohit Sharma.
Gandhi’s associates snatched his phone and forced him to delete footage of a question about attacks on Bangladeshi Hindus.
Rahul Gandhi’s team getting… pic.twitter.com/eVROjHyJ6S
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 13, 2024
The incident underscores the growing pressures on media professionals, particularly those covering sensitive political events. Sharma’s ordeal has reignited conversations about the treatment of journalists by political parties and their supporters, and has drawn attention to the challenges faced by reporters in performing their duties without fear of harassment or violence.
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