New Delhi: A video clip from Hindi news channel News Nation’s prime time debate ‘Khoj Khabar’ Friday has gone viral on social media with several people poking fun at anchor Deepak Chaurasia for heckling a JNU student on the show.
In the clip, Chaurasia can be seen getting hysterical while debating with JNU student Sunny Dhiman. “Aap log (JNU students) jaatein JNU hai, taxpayer ka khaate hai aur gatein Pakistan ka (You students go to JNU on taxpayer’s money but sing praises of Pakistan),” he said.
What did I just see? Is this shouting and name calling by the anchor in a TV studio supposed be a debate? ? pic.twitter.com/ASgSu0vrn3
— SamSays (@samjawed65) February 16, 2020
In response, Dhiman shouted, “Aapko sawaal poochna chahiye” (You should ask questions). However, Chaurasia was on a completely different plane and he replied, while jabbing his finger at Dhiman, “Aap jaise log jo yeh mansikta phela rahein hai, aap jaise desh drohion ne ikhata kiya Pulwama mein” (You are responsible for spreading this mentality, all anti-nationals had gathered in Pulwama).
Also read: Aaj Tak’s Anjana visits Shaheen Bagh, ‘Who’s the better Hindu’ in Times Now, Republic
Twitter users take a jibe at Chaurasia
This clip has led to many users on Twitter, even those outside India, taking a potshot at Chaurasia.
Stephen Sackur, who hosts BBC‘s popular interview programme ‘HARDtalk’, shared the clip and joked about how he was doing his show “all wrong”.
I watched this and realised I’ve been doing @BBCHARDtalk all wrong….? https://t.co/kZbiuhoFgV
— Stephen Sackur (@stephensackur) February 18, 2020
Portugese politician and political scientist Bruno Maçães compared Chaurasia’s journalism to US news network Fox News. Fox News has often been criticised for being extremely vocal in its support of the Republicans and President Donald Trump.
Congratulations, @NewsNationTV ! You have gone international and become the laughing stock of the world. Arnab Goswami and his Circus at @republic TV would be so jealous! @FoxNews better pull up their socks. https://t.co/DykybQU5Az
— deepak gogoi (@dgog61) February 18, 2020
Some Indian users joked about how Indian media is “winning international acclaim” as they took jibes at Chaurasia.
Deepak Chaurasia is winning international acclaim. Sudhir Choudhary, Amish Devgan, Arnab Goswami and Anjana Om Kashyap may note this https://t.co/819O2NmL94
— Ravi Nair (@t_d_h_nair) February 18, 2020
International journalists making fun of their Indian counterparts…seriously that is the level of nonsense Indian news TV has degenerated too!
So called journalists like Deepak Chaurasia can call students “terrorists “ just because they study in a particular university. Shame! https://t.co/wKpxjiNm3x— Madhumita (@madhuchak) February 19, 2020
<In 2013-14, I was working for The Sunday Guardian, owned by NewsX/India News; Mr Deepak Chaurasia was one of the star anchors. One of his visible achievements was turning the office urinals into his personal spittoons, paan-stains everywhere. Laal nishaan, Chaurasia ki pehchaan> https://t.co/iQ3XjPZUGC
— Aditya Mani Jha (@aditya_mani_jha) February 16, 2020
#DeepakChaurasia you are so ludicrous. What kind of stupid journalist are you? He is really useless! https://t.co/l1Wb4kQQpX
— Jeet singh (@Theshrine06) February 16, 2020
News Nation is a national Hindi television channel owned by News Nation Network Pvt Ltd. Anchor Deepak Chaurasia has become notorious for his over-the-top coverage on news issues and for being uncritical of the BJP government. Chaurasia also grabbed headlines in January, when he alleged that the protesters at Shaheen Bagh “assaulted” him when he tried to speak to them.
This isn’t the first time that Indian media has been criticised or ridiculed for its coverage of news issues. The international media was highly critical of the Indian media’s coverage on Kashmir when Article 370 was revoked. Moreover, the Indian media has been collectively referred to as the “BJP propaganda machine” by international publications.
Also read: ‘We believe in calm discussion’, says Republic’s Goswami, ABP’s Liyaquat dissects ‘raajneeti’