Kolkata: Within a month of launch of Republic TV channel, at least four cases have been slapped against Arnab Goswami. The controversy doesn’t just end here, as quite a few others have also questioned his integrity, while participating panelist have now begun boycotting his show.
The list is going longer as only two days after; MB Rajesh CPM MP from Kerala wrote an open letter to Republic TV’s founder, Arnab Goswami, economist and former CPM leader Prasenjit Bose chose to boycott Arnab show, and wrote an open letter to Arnab.
Prasenjit, a familiar face on national English news channels, refused to appear on Republic’s show, on the union government’s recent decision to ban cattle trade. He even attached a clipping of Alt News—Arnab Vs Arnab, which shows how Arnab had changed his tune post launch of his channel.
He wrote in his letter, “Although you continue to masquerade as a TV anchor and a journalist, you have long transformed into an obnoxious peddler of hate politics, hell bent on sowing discord among the diverse nationalities and communities that comprise India.”
The letter continued, “You have also become a bloodthirsty warmonger who wants to destabilize peace in our sub-continent and provoke governments into committing genocides. This transformation would not have been possible, had you not always been – deep inside – a hardcore fundamentalist of the RSS variety, slyly hiding behind fashionable suits and ties. Like many, I too remained deceived for long.”
In 2012, Prasenjit had come to limelight when CPM had decided to support Congress’ candidate Pranab Mukharjee in the Presidential elections. And the young leader had resigned from the party in protest.
The economist also accused Arnab of getting funds from the government and thereby, becoming their propaganda tool. “Now that you have got financiers from your ideological ilk, you have come out with your true colours. You are tarnishing the reputation of the journalist profession, by being a shameless propaganda tool of the Modi establishment that targets the voices of opposition and dissent. You are a clear and present danger to the Indian Republic,” reads the letter.
Prasenjit also wished that Arnab retires early in the interest of country, “And I have no intention to participate in your grotesque reality show, which is a bad, fascistic influence on impressionable, young minds. Please go through the exposé below to see how you are setting the lowest standards of hypocrisy and bigotry. I sincerely wish for your early retirement, in the interest of the Indian people.”
Earlier on May 23 at a live debate, an artist Pravin Mishra had raised three questions, what is MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar the main investor in Republic channel? Does Rajeev’s company Jupiter Capital supplies arms to the Indian defence force? And also where Republic channel’s outrage had disappeared when the Jharkhand lynching took place?
So far, Times Now, India Today Group, MP Shashi Tharoor and News Broadcasting Association (NBA) have slapped cases against the founder of Republic Channel for stealing, malpractice and defamation among others.
And while hearing Shashi Tharoor plea, Delhi High Court told Arnab Goswami to “bring down the rhetoric.”
“Bring down the rhetoric. You can put out your story, you can put out the facts. You cannot call him names. That is uncalled for,” Justice Manmohan said while issuing notice to the channel and its founder.
