Tejasvi Surya Calls PM Modi Question ‘Great’, Says Press Conferences Are Redundant
Tejasvi Surya defends PM Modi and questions press conference relevance.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya has sparked a political debate after defending Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to avoid press conferences throughout his tenure, describing the format as “redundant” in the era of direct digital communication. The remarks came during an interaction at a college event in Bengaluru, where Surya was responding to a student’s question about the Prime Minister not holding a press conference in over a decade.
The student had asked how this aligns with democratic norms in a country that is widely regarded as the world’s largest democracy. In a video clip circulated on social media platform X, including by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, Surya acknowledged the question and described it as a “great question to start with.” He then argued that traditional press conferences are no longer necessary in today’s communication landscape.
Surya said that in the age of 24x7 social media, leaders can directly communicate with citizens without intermediaries. He suggested that press conferences create an unnecessary “barrier” between political leaders and the public. According to him, such formats have become outdated, as elected representatives can now reach voters instantly through digital platforms.
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He further added that the Prime Minister remains consistently engaged with the public and communicates regularly through various channels. “It’s not that the PM is not communicating. The PM communicates every day,” he said, emphasising that direct outreach has replaced the need for structured media interactions. The remarks have triggered political reactions, with critics arguing that press conferences remain an essential part of democratic accountability and provide an opportunity for leaders to answer unscripted questions from the media.
Supporters of Surya’s view, however, maintain that modern communication tools have changed the way political messaging and public engagement function. The exchange has added to an ongoing national debate about transparency, media access and the evolving relationship between political leadership and the press in the digital age.
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