Rahul Leads Opposition In Backing Expose On Rafale Deal

• The Hindu is being targeted for its courage, says Congress
• Govt. contention on OSA seen as gag on press
• Signals imminent collapse of democracy, tweets Naidu

- Sandeep Phukan​​​

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said The Hindu was being targeted for having been “brave” enough to expose the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Ra­fale deal.

His comment came in the wake of the Centre’s conten­tion that the Rafale files had been “stolen” from the De­fence Ministry and that publication of news reports based on these files, includ­ing by The Hindu, was a violation of the Official Secrets Act(OSA)

Other Opposition leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Nai­du, also expressed disquiet over the government’s threat to invoke the OSA, condemn­ing it as a move to muzzle the media.

Climate of fear: Naidu