New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI): Congress leader Rajeev Shukla said that the party allows its leaders to speak freely and does not impose restrictions, asserting that there is complete freedom within the Congress and no culture of 'slavery.'

In a podcast interview with ANI, Shukla said, 'I think there is a lot of freedom in the Congress Party. There is nothing like slavery in Congress. Just tell them this is why I did it, and they will never stop you or get angry about it. Freedom is very much present in the Congress Party. They don't treat you like slaves. They believe that you are a trustworthy person. A country's Prime Minister meets people from all sections of society, and he continues to meet them, it does not mean that he belongs to any particular party.'

Shukla recalled his close association with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, saying he built strong personal relationships while covering the Prime Minister's Office as a journalist.

'Especially, we had a very good relationship with Rajiv Gandhi. I used to cover the Prime Minister's office for the Sunday magazine. That's when I first met them. Then, journalists traditionally went along with the Prime Minister for coverage. Now the journalists go separately. I developed friendship with them and got to know them well,' he said.

He added that his relationship with the Gandhi family and the Congress Party has remained strong over the years, regardless of changes in political power.

'I maintained good relations with them continuously. Even after going out of power and VP Singh came to power, I remained close to them. Later, when I joined the Rajya Sabha as an independent supported by the Loktantrik Congress, these relationships remained unchanged. I can say that my ties with the Gandhi family and the Congress Party have always been strong,' he said. (ANI)