Citizen Arnab Goswami has been arrested. Not because he broke the cardinal rule of journalism — never make yourself the story — but because of an abetment to suicide case.
The broken loudspeaker of the television industry, who has been stuck in a ‘nation wants to know’ loop, perhaps didn’t think it would come to this. And I purposely say television and not journalism. Journalism is based on facts, not whims. And Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami is a whimsical man. He was once giddy because he had bagged an interview with Congress’ Sonia Gandhi. Today, he can’t stop referring to her as “Italy waali Sonia”.
Arnab is an entertainer, if his television theatrics are looked at optimistically. He is a rabble-rouser, if he’s seen realistically. In more recent times, he’s been entertaining us with sensational stories of big Bollywood celebrities taking drugs, actresses siphoning money off their star boyfriends and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s probable link to it. All these have made Arnab Goswami’s arrest look comically tragic.
Think about it. Here’s a man who ran khap panchayat-like studio shows where he, the mukhiya (chief), was the unquestionable judge, jury and executioner. And lately, also the subject of most of Republic TV’s content. He was the macho news anchor taking on the country’s (opposition) leaders, but now he was also the victim.
On 4 November, when he was being arrested from his home in Mumbai, it looked like he couldn’t believe it himself. He wasn’t being arrested for his journalism, but a totally different case —his alleged role in the suicide of architect Anvay Naik in 2018.
Also read: In Arnab Goswami’s arrest, the emergence of Uddhav 2.0
The fight — for TRPs
Many ministers in the Narendra Modi government, including Amit Shah, condemned Arnab Goswami’s arrest, and said it reminded them of ‘the Emergency’. BJP leaders took out protests in several cities. As of Sunday, however, Arnab was still in custody.
But Arnab Goswami didn’t go down without a fight — for TRPs. He left his house shouting ‘assault assault’, and insisted he was the hero of this drama, who was being hunted by Uddhav Thackeray (whose government the news anchor could singlehandedly topple).
Look at any of Republic TV’s social media handles or coverage now — Arnab Goswami is everywhere. Not as the primetime debate host, but as the news. He has made himself the story.
Citizen Arnab is now asking for all the rights that he didn’t advocate for others. And now he’s surprisingly doing everything that the people he hated did to ask for their rights.
The assault on him is suddenly so wrong. But when activist Sadaf Jafar was allegedly assaulted by the police or when the police was accused of assaulting 15 women and 30 men during the February Citizenship (Amendment) Act clash in Delhi, Arnab Goswami obviously wasn’t as vociferous.
In fact, since his arrest, Republic TV staffers claiming to represent the whole of India — #IndiaWithArnab — are protesting for his rights. These are the same people who day in and day out called Shaheen Bagh ‘pro-Pak’ for protesting against the government of India. If Arnab is protesting against the Maharashtra government, then by his logic, he and his channels are anti-Maharashtra and anti-Marathas.
Call it karma, but Arnab wanted to take a ‘snapshot’ of the expression of people who spoke against the witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty when she was arrested. Today, snapshots of Arnab’s arrest are plastered all over social media. The cardinal rule of not running media trials was shredded to pieces by Arnab Goswami — #ArrestRhea was one such media trial. And he’s run many others.
But the arrest of Arnab Goswami has highlighted another big problem.
Also read: Why Arnab Goswami’s arrest puts India’s long-cherished freedom of speech in danger
Nation wants to know
Arnab Goswami, much like the BJP, clearly didn’t invest in a tier two for his organisation. Now, the nation wants to know if there is a Republic TV beyond Arnab Goswami.
Getting arrested has ensured that his constant attempt to make himself the ‘star anchor’ of both his English and Hindi channels has blown up in his face. His channel is now airing desperate anchors trying too hard to sound like Arnab and asking for justice. That’s because he apparently mostly hires young journalists who can’t question his durbar. Wonder why he didn’t call it Arnab TV.
Not to miss, Republic TV recently claimed ‘From Newsrooms Across India, Journalists Stand In Solidarity With Arnab Goswami’. Then the camera zoomed into five newsrooms, of which two were Republic’s own channels.
Arnab Goswami’s megalomaniac ways have got the better of him. And his channel is not entertaining anyone anymore since he’s not on it. It’s not even entertaining his ardent fans, that’s if they exist at all considering the TRP scam in which Republic TV’s name reportedly came up in the statements of some of the accused.
Arnab Goswami’s peculiar case of politically motivated news anchoring has brought out a very important fact. Media will be nothing but a pawn if it tries to be an extended arm of a political party. And pawns are usually the first ones to be sacrificed to the enemy for a win. The BJP is now using Arnab to showcase the Maha Vikas Aghadi and Shiv Sena to be nothing more than Indira Gandhi-like authoritarian political parties. Arnab in jail serves its purpose. Arnab has indeed made a fantastic story out of himself and become peak national news. You know what happens after a peak?
The author is a political observer and writer. Views are personal.
Sadly, vulgar, vacuous and vicious loudmouths like Arnab Goswami have become the face of Indian media today. They tarnish the reputation of India outside the country, more so since this thug claims to be a journalist.
But the good news is that Arnab Goswami has lost his utlity for the BJP. The man has become a larger than life figure who, like Adityanath threatens the Gujaratis and their tight grip on power. But unlike Adityanath who has a large following of itchy-groined, lumpen “bhaiyyas” to do his bidding,
Arnab Goswami’s middle class followers are largely armchair jingoists. They might shout about patriotism and the need to cut Pakistan down to size, thrash the Chinese and sing praises to Indian soldiers. But they ensure that their own kids run get the Green card rather than donning the Indian Army’s green fatigues to do battle in Galwan. Or freeze in Siachen. And that applies especially to all the NRIs who display great enthusiasm and nationalism – but with the safety of a green card or the citizenship of a Western European country.
Time to write Arnab Goswami’s obituary as a BJP mouthpiece. Meanwhile, the man is probably getting buggered – probably literally – in some seedy Maharashtrian jail. A well-deserved comeuppance to a putrid punk.
Nation must be vigilent about the involvement of Dawood gang,/ISI/ Ahmed patel/shivsena/sharad nexus . day pakistan minister Chauhan said ” raw agent ” Arnab got in to trouble with the money poured to police and Uddav ‘s wife . Destroying Shivsena was the mission of congress- and they have succeeded with the help of Sharad . In Maha bharata or ramayana– women( draupadi/kaikeyi) was the reason for their fall . For shivsena ( raut /wife of uddava) are the reason of their fall with the help of congress and sharad axis. What a stupid guy who will sale his mother(land ) for a penny !!
Blame a woman policy ?
Peter the Pathetic !
Im with Arnab, Print is one of the old school which tries to say what is journalism, truth is every thing is evolving including how to present the news. I accept he is noisy but not bigotry as most other media outlets which always tries to bend actual truth. Got tired of news outlets trying to set narrative to appease certain section of people.
Doesn’t Arnab Goswami appease people like you who love to get high on his hot air?
If someone do not agree with ur views, y u r countering them? Grow up. The so called author is more venomous than the noisy Arnab, at least he is not compromising values..
Shame on the author. Yellow journalism is very evident.
The article is pathetic and smells hatred and jealousy for Arnab. Uddhav and his police by their illegal and unlawful act made a nationalist and true patriot journalist a National hero. That was evident from the crowd following his car when he was released. He was true voice of people. Condem the writer and article. And support Arnab. You may not like his journalism but you cannot take his liberty and dignity.
Shame on artile writer. Smacks of jealousy ad hatred feelings towards Arnab.
? you and your article suck big time.the print are masters of yellow journalism
Care to explain why you come to that conclusion Mr Narayan? Do bear in mind that unlike you, many of us prefer not to inhale the hot air emitted by Arnab Goswami and do not fall for the jingoistic, fact-free rabble-rousing that he calls journalism…
These compulsive liers like Zainab have taken training in Madarsaas and speak only for what suits Islam and it’s so called peaceful face. So expecting anything in favour of a Nationalist is impossible from these greats. Their icons are Ghaznis,Gauries,Taimurs and Khilgees. They stand for Jehad.
She did not mention Islam. She talked only about Arnob and the hypocritical outrage of fascists talking about freedom of speech. You are unable to refute her, so you react in a childish way.
ThePrint तुम बिके हुये पत्रकार sorry चाटुकार हो।
अर्णव गोस्वामी की पैर के धूल बराबर भी नहीं तुम्हारी पत्रकारीता।
भारत माता की जय
वन्दे मातरम
I would be very, very scared if I were Arnab Goswami.
The BJP, under Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Adityanath and their ilk is a thuggish, undemocratic outfit dedicated and devoted to the promotion of the Modi personality cult. Arnab Goswami surely contributed to the growth of said Modi cult with his screaming matches replete with naked Islamophobia, shrill jingoism and rabble-rousing.
But the BJP has surely calculated that this motor-mouth masquerading as a journalist has grown too big for his boots. And in the BJP’s tussle with the Shiv Sena for supremacy in Maharashtra, Arnab Goswami is an easily sacrificed pawn. Arnab’s tenure as a useful idiot for Modi’s Hindutva forces has possibly come to an ignoble end.
As they say:
“If you live by the sword, you die by the sword”
Anyway it’s a blessing in guise for ARNAB because now he become very very famous. Thanks the Maha government
Arnab cannot become bigger than his paymasters in the BJP. The BJP has not lifted a finger while the Shiv Sena thrashes this useful idiot. Arnab Goswami is getting cut to size and that pleases the BJP endlessly.
‘Useful idiot’ is the apt term for Arnob.
Believe it or not, he studied at Oxford. But when power and money came, he became a megalomaniac.
If the BJP does not sacrifice Goswami, the SS can reopen the Justice Lohia case. Then more of the BJP’s skeletons will fall out. The BJP should realise that their opponents in state governments can also use the law selectively against them, in the manner the BJP used against opponents.
If you are a kili joshiyar whete is your kili. People like you make a kili ie parrot tell something nonsense already printed on the cards. So its just like a prejudice working there. You seem to be a islamist at the core hiding behind a secular name. Shame on you and the article writer who has nothing but is venomous on the nationalist and hindu cause supporters
Vaadhyaare !! What, if any is the point you are trying to make ? Your post makes no sense and you make no cogent counter-arguments.
Suggestion: After you finish your TASMAC saarayam, go to sleep and then when you are sober, try writing a comment. At the moment, what you have written is to be thrown into the “kuppathotti” !
We are divided by caste and hatred by such journalists. Instead of substance they create hatred. Print Media must review this writer and question how much they have been paid by Congress and it’s allies. Laughable news now after the Supreme Court Judgement. You guys made him the hero. Was it necessary?
Mr Shashank Bhat: So what came first caste and caste based hatred or journalism ? And what makes you believe that if there is an article against a thuggish, fascist BJP supporter like Arnab Goswami, then the article must have been paid for by Congress and its allies?
And who pays you? The BJP IT cell?
Just show how jealous people are of Arnab. Shows the quality of reporting as well.
ThePrint and TheWire are two already sold media agencies to Congress, they are the mouth pieces of left parties also. So publishing against arnab was obvious.