Rajnath Singh: Even Congress govt amended Constitution to curb free speech

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said those alleging violation of press freedom forget that the governments of the BJP had neither imposed any ban on any media organisation nor curtailed anyone's right to free speech.

He said the Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech while referring to the amendment of Article 19 in 1951. Speaking at a conclave organised by RSS mouthpiece Panchjanya, Singh said a debate has again started in the country regarding freedom of expression.

"The interesting thing is that those who allege violation of media freedom today forget that whether it is Atalji's government or Modiji's government, they neither imposed any ban on any media house nor curtailed anyone's right to free speech and expression in any manner," he said.


Hitting out at the Congress, he said the entire history of the grand old party is replete with incidents of violation of all kinds of freedoms."The Congress government had even amended the Constitution to curb free speech. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others," he added.