Arnab Goswami and his prime-time Newshour debate have a history of offending people’s sensibilities. And more often than not, those who do not have anything to do with his high-octane debates become embroiled in his assertive arguments.
On Tuesday’s debate about Kargil Vijay Diwas, Arnab did not stop at just celebrating India’s martyrs and their sacrifices; he went a step ahead to reprimand “anti-Indians”, especially the media.
His rhetoric was so harsh that journalists have come out strongly on social media to condemn Arnab and his hyper-nationalism.
Probably for the first time, even Barkha Dutt, Arnab’s former colleague, chose to respond to his bombast.
“I am ashamed to be from the same industry as him,” NDTV Consulting Editor Dutt wrote in a Facebook post.
Arnab’s Diatribe Against ‘Pseudo Liberals’
On the Newshour debate, Arnab lashed out at “a section of pseudo liberals” who, according to him, “should ask themselves whether they have the right to comment, speak or write one word on the Kargil bravehearts.”
That section of media, he intimated, has been “vilifying” and “abusing” the Indian Army operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dutt, who is one of the most prominent faces of Indian journalism, had in fact made her mark in the industry with her reports from the frontline during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
Arnab further added that this narrow, vocal section has “vested interests in some parts of the media.”
They echo the Pakistani line under the guise of backing Kashmiris. They support Pakistan sitting here in India, and call themselves Indian liberals... They are not real Indian media. They are supporting Pakistan; directly or indirectly supporting ISIS, and supporting Hafiz Saeed.Arnab Goswami
He further said, “They carry an Indian passport and pose as some kind of journalist.”
Journalists Unite Against Arnab’s Hyper-Nationalism
Arnab’s loud, shrill debates have championed a right-wing nationalist narrative for India. Though his biases are not unknown, mediapersons are now definitely up in arms against the TV anchor.
Until another debate sparks another controversy...
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