Times Now anchor Arnab Goswami’s most recent “Newshour” debate has earned him the ire of certain sections of the media. Taking a stridently nationalist tone, Arnab accused certain human rights activists and sections of the media of advocating the breakup of the nation, in the name of human rights.
“When people take an anti-India, pro-Pakistan, pro-terrorist line, when they lionise a terrorist, when they openly peddle lies and advocate the breakup of India, advocate changing the map, how should these people be dealt with?” asked Arnab in the inaugural seconds of a debate that went on to target those who raised questions about army excesses in Kashmir.
Following the telecast of the show, journalist and anchor Barkha Dutt took to Facebook to post a strong denunciation of Arnab’s tenor in the debate, accusing him of “brazen and cowardly hypocrisy” for attacking journalists and activists who advocate peace talks and negotiations, but staying silent on the BJP’s alliance agreement with the PDP that commits the government to talks, and on Narendra Modi’s own efforts to reach out to the Pakistan government.
She also attacked Arnab for his antagonistic tone towards journalists, writing, “Imagine, a journalist actually exhorts the government to shut down sections of the media, misrepresents them as isi agents and terror sympathisers, calls for them to be tried and acted against.”
While Barkha was attacked by numerous social media users who supported the tenor and content of the “Newshour” debate, some other journalists also tweeted or posted on Facebook criticising Arnab.