By Arré Bench Nov. 04, 2020
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami has been arrested in Mumbai in a two-year-old suicide abetment case. The arrest has been condemned by politicians and journalists alike, many calling it an attack on press freedom.
All eyes are on Joe Biden versus Donald Trump. But in India, the Republic TV versus Maharashtra Government battle has reached another flashpoint. Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami has been arrested by the Mumbai Police for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer. According to the official Twitter handle of Republic TV, Arnab was “assaulted by cops, taken by police in a van.”
#BREAKING | Arnab Goswami assaulted by cops; taken by Police in van; Tune in for #LIVE updates #ArnabGoswami #Republic https://t.co/jghcajZuXf pic.twitter.com/AynTjaqWnt
— Republic (@republic) November 4, 2020
Goswami has been arrested in a 2018 abetment to suicide case under Section 306 IPC, which has now been re-opened by the police, reported Republic TV. The case involves the death of an architect and his mother over alleged non-payment of dues by the news channel.
According to a report on the Republic TV website, the Mumbai Police “barged into the residence of Arnab Goswami on Wednesday, physically assaulted him and put him in a police van, went in without any summons, documents or court papers.” “Over a dozen officers of the Mumbai Police reached Arnab’s residence in Mumbai’s Parel at 6:30 am and blocked all the entry and exit points soon after. It also blocked Republic Media Network’s Editors Niranjan Narayanswamy and Sanjay Pathak from entering Arnab’s residence.”
#IndiaWithArnab | Arnab Goswami arrested after SHOCKING physical assault; arrest in closed case #ArnabGoswami https://t.co/92MjrHfOzT
— Republic (@republic) November 4, 2020
The Republic TV team is enroute Raigad police station, where Arnab Goswami is being allegedly taken by the police. “They beat my son,” Goswami said as he was rounded up in a police van.
The arrest has been condemned on social media. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar stated that this was an attack on press freedom in Maharashtra. “This reminds us of the emergency days when the press was treated like this,” he tweeted.
We condemn the attack on press freedom in #Maharashtra. This is not the way to treat the Press. This reminds us of the emergency days when the press was treated like this.@PIB_India @DDNewslive @republic
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) November 4, 2020
Union Minister Smriti Irani invoked the F-word, fascism. “You may not like him, you may not approve of him, you may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression. Who speaks if you are next?” she asked.
Those in the free press who don’t stand up today in support of Arnab, you are now tactically in support of fascism. You may not like him, you may not approve of him,you may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression. Who speaks if you are next ?
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) November 4, 2020
Other BJP leaders also were quick to show their support to Goswami.
How can you false arrest someone just because you don’t like him?
Remember, Indians will fight back againt this kind of draconian act.
I condemn the forceful arrest of Journalist #ArnabGoswamiThis is fascist intolerance towards freedom of expression.
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) November 4, 2020
The arrest of senior journalist #ArnabGoswami is seriously reprehensible, unwarranted and worrisome. We had fought for freedoms of Press as well while opposing the draconian Emergency of 1975.
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 4, 2020
Actress Kangana Ranaut, who has frequently appeared on the channel recently, said through a video message on Twitter. “Kitne ghar todenge? Kitne gale dabayenge? Kitni awaazein bandh karenge aap? Ek awaaz bandh karenge to bahot saari aur uth jaayengi” she says in the video.
Message for Maharashtra government @republic #Arnab #ArnabWeAreWithYou #ArnabGoswami pic.twitter.com/AJizRCitS7
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) November 4, 2020
Veteran journalist Vikram Chandra stated that individual rights should be sacrosanct in democracy and should apply irrespective of who the individual is and the party in power.
I’ve always believed that individual rights should be sacrosanct in a democracy – irrespective of who the individual is, and which political party is in power. That principle must be applied everywhere.
— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) November 4, 2020
Other media persons joined in and condemned the arrest.
Very heartening to see all the support for Arnab from our cabinet today. We must all stand up against fascism, speak up whenever journalists are targeted, especially as the trend rises across the country. https://t.co/GUJeGSH1ex
— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) November 4, 2020
Meanwhile, Mumbai Police – under control of the Opposition in Maharashtra – has detained pro-BJP TV anchor Arnab Goswami, in a case of alleged suicide abetment that had been closed earlier.
Maharashtra mimicking the draconian methods of BJP at the Centre https://t.co/8AfOQwloVd
— Rohan Venkat (@RohanV) November 4, 2020
It doesn’t matter what you think of Arnab today. But if we ignore how state police has handled him – then something is very wrong & amiss with all of us today.#ArnabGoswami pic.twitter.com/1rkFqybMz2
— Tavleen Singh Aroor (@Tavysingh) November 4, 2020
Whether you agree or disagree with #ArnabGoswami and his brand of journalism- this arrest by Mumbai Police is political. Make no mistake about it. Anybody who supports freedom of expression CAN NOT support this.Period. @OfficeofUT https://t.co/JFECJI858j
— Nalin Mehta (@nalinmehta) November 4, 2020
The tussle between the Mumbai Police and Arnab Goswami started after the TV anchor personally targeted Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and the state government for their investigation in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide and Palghar lynching case. Since then, the Mumbai Police had named Republic TV in a press conference relating to a TRP scam. This latest development in the ongoing saga has taken away attention even from the US elections – even if for a few minutes.
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