It was not such a while ago that Arnab revelled in projecting
himself as a good guy stalking the bad guys of politics, cinema and the
corporate world. He was the voice of the Indian nation that proclaimed “you
can’t escape us” while dealing with Shashi Tharoor and Rhea Chakraborty,
throwing challenges at Salman Khan and going after Karan Johar. Apart from
targeting several political and Bollywood personalities as Republic TV anchor,
he went after some corporate biggies like Peter Mukherjea in the Sheena Bora
murder case when he was with Times Now, yes same Times Now which he has been
badmouthing of late – especially his former colleagues like Navika Kumar. And
let us not forget his finger-wagging exhortation to the then CBI chief to put
his act together.
Now the tables have been turned, thanks to the
“Chat-Gate”. Media headlines stalk Goswami with Arnabian gusto. He is being
tarred in the darkest possible shades. The Republic’s knight in saffron armour
is now a fallen icon. While his TRP related scandal simmers, his WhatsApp chats
hit the ceiling. To recall, the TRP scam
involved rigging of viewership numbers where huge sums of money changed hands.
In October 2020, a complaint filed the Hansa Research Group, alleged that Republic
TV and two others were paying vast sums of money to people to watch
their channels. Thirteen people, including Dasgupta, Romil Ramgarhia and Vikas
Khanchandani, were arrested.
So, what is there in the chats between Arnab Goswami
and Partho Dasgupta that has become the basis for Mumbai Police’s supplementary
chargesheet? There are discussions on the imminent Balakot strike to avenge
Pulwama. Although, it is an old practice for state and central governments to
take editors of mainstream media outlets on important national issues and
sometimes policies, this is the first time that one single editor has been
provided with a strategic information that could have compromised India’s
security and several lives as well as vital strategic assets. Of course, there
are other things like what Goswami thinks or cites a BJP heavyweight while
mentioning various politicians like Javadekar and TV anchors like Navika Kumar
etc. But that can be classified as inane bitching. However, his reference to
the late Jaitley shows what sort of character this man really is. One really
wonders why he was impatient with Jaitley “stretching it”? and Dasgupta asking
whether Jaitley was not dead yet! Was it plain insensitivity or something more?
I wonder how his patrons in the ruling establishment are viewing this aspect of
the chats. Of course, the great Goswami counterattacks Congress with threats of
libel charges. It would be interesting if he really goes ahead with the threat
or it is just another of his blank shells.
Of course, while Dasgupta is behind bars now, Goswami
remains free. Such are the ironies of our governance. And, let us not forget
that 55 journalists were booked during the Covid lockdown alone for reporting
on the pandemic – an absolutely innocent professional activity. If reporting on
Covid is a crime what should the revealing of Balakot strike three days before
it happened should be treated as? Treason, surely.
For the opposition political parties, especially the
Congress, this should have been a godsent opportunity to get back at BJP and
its supporters in the mainstream media. Goswami should have been running for
cover. It is puzzling that although the
Congress party has belatedly started dealing with the issue the rest of the opposition
has been muted in its reactions. Of course, there were reactions from the likes
of Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor, P. Chidambaram and Prithviraj Chavan. They have
used terms like “national security”, “deeply disturbing” and “official secrets
act” to criticise, but they are not currently considered close to the High
Command. Randeep Surjewala belatedly went hyper on the issue but is considered
a political lightweight anyway. More belatedly, Rahul Gandhi has made a
statement asking for booking those who leaked the info. Tepid stuff. However, there
has been a lack of concerted and sustained attempt at cornering the BJP on the
vital issue of leaking strategic information to a TV journalist. So,
effectively, Goswami and his mentors have got away with what should have been an
explosive revelation against the government.
On his Republic TV channel, Goswami has been quite
provocative while responding to the WhatsApp chat-based police chargesheet. He
is unashamedly indignant about the way he is being targeted, forgetting how he
had gleefully gone after Deepika Padukone, Rhea Chakraborty and others while
quoting from their WhatsApp chats. He has slotted the police and the opposition
parties as co-conspirators coordinating with the mythical tukde-tukde gang, the
ISI and of, course, Imran Khan led Pakistan Government. His unashamed rant too
has not elicited any substantive reaction from other news channels or the
targeted Congress – which he relentlessly vilifies by using terms like “Sonia
Sena” and “Vadra Congress” etc.
Understandably, most of the TV news channels have
preferred to ignore the explosive WhatsApp chat revelations. Is this because
their respective “star” TV newspersons themselves have been snuggling up to the
powers? Perhaps, they do not want to get ensnared in a lafda with the current
establishment by attacking its blue-eyed boy. Perhaps they too have skeletons
hidden in their closets? Let me just mention one in passing. The Free to Air
Dish scandal. According to Newslaundry and a couple of other independent news
platforms, up to 40 private news channels, including 8 of Arnab’s Republic TV
have been ripping off the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to the tune of
crores every month by unauthorizedly using the Free to Air Dish facility.
In 2014, there were big rosy promises of cleaner
governance, transparency and a corruption-free nation. Things have moved in
exactly the opposite direction. Now, in 2021, a news channel editor can assure
his crony a cushy job in the PMO, a one-to-one talk with the then Information
and Broadcasting Minister and just about anything that even a powerful
bureaucrat wouldn’t think of doing. Arnab can say nasty things about judges and
ministers, access classified information (which he shares with another
unauthorised person) and yet roam free. Worse, he brazenly uses this info to
boost his channel’s TRPs while doing everything in his power to boost the
ruling party’s chances in the coming elections. More brazenly, he uses his
position as news to vilify just about anybody he chooses to, with absolutely no
repercussions. Compare this with what is happening to a journalist named
Siddique Kappan and comedians like Munawar Farruqui. These two are not even
getting bails although the police have yet to furnish any credible proofs
against them.
The Chat-Gate has given a handle to Pakistan PM
against India. He claims vindication of his and his military’s repeated
allegations that the Pulwama tragedy was stage managed for electoral purposes.
And the Balakot strike was more to divert the Indian public’s attention from
worsening domestic conditions than avenging Pulwama. This, of course, appears
highly improbable. Goswami’s highly irresponsible chats with Dasgupta need to
be probed. This man has crossed all redlines for journalistic ethics. His
megalomania is a threat not just to the BJP but also to the nation.
An Indian Express report of January 19 on the Sushant
Singh Rajput case quotes the Bombay High Court as saying that the reportage of
Republic Television and Times Now in the Sushant Singh Rajput case was “prima
facie contemptuous”, with both channels running a “vicious campaign” playing
the roles of “the investigator, the prosecutor as well as the judge”. Well,
actually, Goswami already fancies himself as the sole voice of India and an
arbiter of sorts of the Republic of India’s destiny.
Media is supposed to be the fourth pillar of
democracy. It is professionally and morally bound to keep a close watch on the
actions of people in power, blow whistle on wrongdoings by them and act as the
nation’s conscience keeper. At the same time, our rulers must realise that
their tenancy in corridors of power is a result of the trust that we, the
people of India have reposed in them. Common people’s liberty, dignity and
quality of living depend upon the quality of governance – which the government
is dutybound to ensure and the media is expected to scrutinise every government
decision and action diligently. Unfortunately, for a very long time now, the
reverse is happening. Our news outlets have become subservient pamphleteers and
mouthpieces of the ruling establishment.
Arnab represents everything that has gone wrong with
our media and the polity. Arnab Goswami will go down as one-man mafiosi who has
destroyed the credibility of our news outlets. This damage will take decades to
repair.
No comments:
Post a Comment