On Saturday (18th January), ‘journalist‘ Saurabh Dwivedi courted controversy after he tried to shield Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against criticism.
Dwivedi, who is the Founding Editor of The Lallantop, recently conducted an interview with political analyst Rajat Sethi. He claimed that Rahul Gandhi talked about ‘fighting against the BJP, RSS and the Indian government.’
Saurabh Dwivedi alleged that the statement of the Gandhi scion was being ‘falsely’ interpreted by the BJP President JP Nadda as ‘fighting the Indian State.’
“JP Nadda is saying that Rahul Gandhi openly talked about fighting against India. The speech was about fighting the Indian government. BJP is claiming that the Congress leader is fighting against India,” the Lallantop’s founding editor was heard saying.
Lallantop's Saurabh Dwivedi translates Rahul's statement "….Fight against INDIAN STATE" into Hindi as 'Fight against Indian Govt'.
— The Analyzer (News Updates?️) (@Indian_Analyzer) January 18, 2025
~ Rajat Sethi quickly reminds him of the original quote. He then accepts
This was how Lutyens Media built Narratives in Pre Social Media Era? pic.twitter.com/I59bvg2tj8
Saurabh Dwivedi attempted to insinuate that the BJP was deliberately quoting Rahul Gandhi out of context and attributing motives to his statement.
Political analyst Rajat Sethi was quick to correct him. He pointed out, “Saurabh ji, Rahul Gandhi did not say Indian government in his speech but the Indian state. He made the speech in English.”
“There was a slip on his part. He kept on talking against the Indian State. If there is any definition of treason, then, it is speaking against the State. This must have been a slip. But he said that his fight and war is against the Indian State,” Rajat Sethi emphasised.
“What is a State? It is the manifestation of the Indian Constitution. Even the position of the Leader of the Opposition, the one he currently occupies, is also part of the Indian State,” he further added.
Saurabh Dwivedi later conceded that Rajat Sethi was absolutely right. “Yes, Rahul Gandhi did not say Indian government but the Indian State,” he acknowledged.
The Background of the Controversy
On Tuesday (14th January), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stirred the hornet’s nest by declaring that he was fighting the Indian State itself.
“Do not think we are fighting a fair fight. If you believe we are fighting against a political organization called BJP and RSS, they have captured almost every institution in our country. We are now fighting not just the BJP and RSS, but the Indian state itself,” he said.
Mohan Bhagwat’s audacious comment that India didn’t gain true independence in 1947 is an insult to our freedom fighters, every single Indian citizen and an attack on our Constitution. pic.twitter.com/6sMhdxn3xA
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 15, 2025
Rahul Gandhi made the contentious remarks while addressing the party members on the occasion of the inauguration of the new AICC HQ in New Delhi.
