Rahul Gandhi Slams Government Over Arrest of Gujarat Samachar Owner

Gandhi said that the country will not run on force or fear—India will run on truth and the Constitution.

The ED conducted raids on the premises of Gujarat Samachar, a prominent Gujarati newspaper, on Friday and took Bahubali Shah, one of its owners, into custody.

Shah is a director of Lok Prakashan Limited, which owns Gujarat Samachar. As news of Shah’s arrest spread, questions began to surface.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote on X, “The attempt to silence Gujarat Samachar is not just about suppressing a newspaper but another conspiracy to stifle the voice of democracy. When locks are put on newspapers that hold a mirror to power, understand that democracy is in danger.”

 He said that Bahubali Shah’s arrest is part of the politics of fear that has now become the hallmark of the Modi government. He emphasized, “The country will not run on batons or fear—India will run on truth and the Constitution.”

He added that anyone who raises their voice against this government or refuses to compromise with the BJP will have to go to jail. He stated, “Pressuring independent media to act in the government’s favour is fatal for democracy.”

Congress General Secretary (Organization) KC Venugopal also claimed that Gujarat Samachar fearlessly criticizes the BJP regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the ED’s “arrest” of its owner, Bahubali Shah, is the BJP’s way of forcing independent media to align with the regime.

He alleged that this reflects the BJP’s familiar tactics of using investigative agencies to pressure companies, possibly to facilitate their sale to Adani.

Venugopal said, “We stand with Gujarat Samachar and Bahubali Shah against this authoritarian pressure.”

He claimed that this is an open misuse of investigative agencies and completely against the spirit of the Constitution.