Arnab Goswami, editor-in-chief of Republic TV, was arrested today at his residence in Mumbai
Bombay:
Attacking the BJP for its criticism of the arrest of Arnab Goswami in Mumbai, Congress said today that its “selective outrage” against press freedom is “shameful” and that the law will run its own course in the case against the Republic editor TV in chief.
Arnab Goswami was arrested today at his residence in Mumbai for allegedly instigating the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer.
Several Union ministers and senior BJP leaders have criticized Congress for the arrest of Arnab Goswami, calling it an “attack on press freedom”. The Congress is part of the coalition government led by Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
When asked about Arnab Goswami’s arrest and the BJP’s criticism of it, Congressional spokeswoman Supriya Shrinate said she was actually very shocked by the BJP’s “selective outrage” from sections of the government.
Why are they silent when Prashant Kanojia is imprisoned for several months just because he exposed a scam serving children in Mirzapur with salt and chapati? “The spokesman asked, referring to the journalist who was arrested by the UP Police.
Addressing a press conference, he raised several other questions.
Why, he asked, is the BJP “selectively silent” when charges of sedition are brought against journalists and when a case has been brought against journalist (Scroll) Supriya Sharma because she exposed the pathetic situation in a Varanasi village?
And when a reporter who exposed the PPE team scam in Uttar Pradesh is jailed and faces serious charges of sedition instead of taking action against those responsible for the scam, he added.
“So this selective outrage is extremely unjustified, it is shameful and they (the BJP) should be ashamed to say anything,” he told reporters.
Supriya Shrinate also attacked Arnab Goswami, saying that she herself had been a journalist for nearly two decades and alleged that he had brought complete “disgrace and shame” to journalism.
“What he does with the journalism garb is not journalism, what he does with the journalism garb is the work of a front of the BJP,” Ms Shrinate alleged.
“Accusing people, launching abuses, making any kind of accusations, using the language that he makes. Are you a judge or a jury? What kind of journalism is he doing with the appearance of running a television channel?”
Shrinate argued that the BJP should be the last to speak about freedom of the press. He also accused the BJP of “controlling the media” through advertisements and through “intimidation and fear”.
“I am reasonably certain that wherever Congress is in government or we are in alliance, people will not be punished if they are absolutely innocent. I also believe that the law will follow its own course even in this case,” she said.
Congress believes in the independence of institutions and has never compromised their independence or autonomy, Shrinate said.
Arnab Goswami, who was seen being pushed into a police van, claimed that he was assaulted by the police at his home.
BJP Chairman JP Nadda and several high-ranking Union ministers, including Amit Shah, criticized Arnab Goswami’s arrest, describing it as a “flagrant abuse of state power” and reminiscent of the Emergency.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
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