New Delhi: Founder of Indian news portal Strat News Global Nitin Gokhale claimed he was threatened of “negative consequences” by the Chinese embassy after his organisation put out a video on 1 August comparing the country’s President Xi Jinping with Adolf Hitler.
The news portal uploaded a video on 7 August in which Gokhale, a strategic affairs analyst and author, said he got a call from Ji Rong, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in India, raising objections to the 1 August video. Apart from the portal, Gokhale also posted the 7 August video on Twitter.
The video that caused trouble was seven-minutes long, titled Xi-Tler? Xi Jinping Emulating Adolf Hitler! Posted by the news portal on 1 August, it compared the ‘expansionist designs’ of both Hitler and Xi. It further spoke about similarities between how the two leaders’ rules as heads of state began and how they eliminated their political opponents, among other commonalities.
The video has since clocked more than 1.8 lakh views on YouTube so far.
ThePrint reached Ji via phone calls and text messages for a comment, but received no response until the publication of this report.
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Deleting video not an ‘option’
In the response put out by Strat News Global, Gokhale explained to his colleague Amitabh Revi that Ji called him up on 3 August and went into a tirade against the video.
He said Ji expressed shock over the video and wanted it to be deleted because of the sensitivity of the matter. According to Gokhale, Ji further told him that the credibility of his news organisation was at stake.
On the issue of deleting the video, Gokhale told Ji that it was not an option, but said that he was open to publishing a letter contesting or refuting the video, and promised that it would be published unedited. He further said he was open to interviewing her or any other embassy officials.
“She kept saying it (the video) was not acceptable and then said ‘Delete the video or there will be negative consequences’,” he added.
When Gokhale asked what the consequences would be, Ji told him to understand the sensitivity of the situation.
On the possibility of doing an interview or carrying out a counter statement to the video, Ji said she would get back to Gokhale after speaking to the higher-ups.
After waiting for two days, when one of Gokhale’s colleagues reached Ji asking about the status of the matter, she allegedly sent a WhatsApp message saying, “There will be serious consequences, please consider our request for deleting the video.”
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India is yet to show it’s true power. Beijing is under the impression of that since 1962 they are the only One who grew upto superpower. Modi will not only build Ram temple but also bring “Ram rajya”, definition of Ram Rajya is destroying tyranny across the globe. Be it Pakistan, China, Turkey or Malaysia, they will all destroy with the Same fate as Ravana or Vali!!!
The video in question is an opinion and permitted in any modern democracy and open society. Chinese government or citizens are free to counter it. The promise to publish it unedited is a very fair offer. The language of “consequences” reveals a narrow and intolerant mindset and a mind which finds some truth in the subject video.
Modi is the Hindu Hitler, RSS leaders have written praise of Hitler. Xi should publish Golwalkar and Savarkar’s writings.
The video depicted the truth. Not only Xi Jinping, but since Mao, China is emulating Hitler’s Germany by claiming lands of neighbors and forcefully occupying these. First it was Tibet and after that China has claimed the territories of nearly all her neighboring countries. It may be Pakistan (by love), India, Nepal, Burma Bhutan Russia, Magnolia, Vietnam and others. Laying claims on the seas also. This China is doing by buying the rulers of small weak countries and threatening the larger ones. China has gone on war with nearly all neighbors. And Hitler did the same. Both exploited the weakness of international community towards each other.
Making a video comparing Chinese President Xi Jinping with Hitler is new low in Indian media. Mind it, this sword cuts both ways. Don’t cry foul if tomorrow any other country media compare Mr. Modi with Hitler , giving the track record of BJP atrocities , lynching , killing, of innocent Muslims and trying to trample the Indian constitution and color it Bhagwa.
I am sure , you are not a pro- Indian, commenting here.
If you are from Pakistan, please tell us the plight of minorities there.
If you are from India, tell us about the plight of Hindus in Kashmir. And also about the temples there.
If you are from China, let us know about the plight of Muslims there.
The Chinese diplomats are plain dumb. Haven’t they heard of the Streisand effect? Do they send their stupid ones out, or is this the limit of the diplomatic corp of an authoritarian state? Can’t debate policies with higher ups, Xitler demands loyalty, so they follow boneheaded orders even though they know it will blow up in their face.
ThePrint censored my comment…it’s editors support hitler. Down with Xi and the Print.
Keep it up Gohkale when chinks mouthpiece publishes all negative article of India why not facts of its Ji vis a vis Hitler..dont buckle
XI PING IS WORST THAN ADLOF HITLER. HE WILL HAVE TO FACE WORST ROUGH WEATHER THAN HITLER.
Golhale ji, do not fear these commie rats….ignore them they are rai ke pahaad….show Xi as Hitler he deserves it.