New Delhi: Prime time Thursday night went to foreign lands: Chiefly to the US after the violent attack at Washington’s Capitol Hill by a mob of ‘pro-Trump’ supporters. The mob stormed the building and clashed with the police, which led to four deaths.
Republic TV took this opportunity to take potshots at people who condemned the violence and compared it to the “fragile democracy” in India.
Journalists Rana Ayyub and Sagarika Ghose, or in Republic’s words #LoversofAnarchy, had tweeted that “there are grim portents ahead for countries where democracy is fragile… Like India”.
But Arnab Goswami was having none of it. “The lovers of anarchy began circulating oblique and obfuscated claims to use the mayhem at Capitol Hill to denigrate our democracy… others who are lovers of anarchy used it to create an anti-Modi narrative,” he stated, dramatically.
Political commentator D.K. Giri added, “What is happening in Capitol Hill has nothing to do with India. There is no link.”
Mirror Now anchor Aarti S., however, asked former secretary of external affairs ministry Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, if the fears expressed by those back home on India’s ‘fragile democracy’ were valid.
“Protests have gone out of hands in the past. It depends on how the government handles it,” Chakravarty said.
About the attack itself, former Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar said, “This is a very fundamental assault on the US Constitution and it is going to be a question, which will engage people for a long time.”
Deepak Chaurasia, on News Nation, asked — “Why did the oldest democracy fall into danger”, referring to the violence in Washington.
The anchor came armed with comments on the US’ “depleting democracy”.
“Trump has accepted defeat but the violence that erupted at the world’s power centre. This has never been witnessed in the history of American democracy” Chaurasia said.
“America’s pride has been shredded now but this cannot even be imagined happening in India, because Parliament is considered the mandir of democracy. This is why America should learn from India,” the anchor said.
“I want to say that I am extremely proud to be a small part of this great democracy,” he added.
Some news channels chose to focus on farmers with the protests entering day 44.
India Today anchor Preeti Choudhry wondered whether the Modi government will ‘buck under pressure’ and blink first.
Rakesh Tikait, Leader Bharatiya Kisan Union said, “On the right side will be a tank and on the left side there will be a tractor on Rajpath on January 26”. The farmers have announced a tractor march and nationwide protests on 26 January.
Tikait added that the farmers will not back down, and it will be better for the government to revoke these laws soon.
Responding to this, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma said, “These farm laws are not snatching away anything from the farmers, on the other hand, these laws are only giving something.”
Meanwhile, Congress’ Shama Mohamed commented on PM Modi’s silent treatment to the farmers and said, “US Capitol Hill is attacked by mob, PM condemns it, but 60 farmers have died but not a single word by him.”
On Aaj Tak, anchor Rohit Sardana discussed the farmers’ tractor march protest Thursday and called it just a “trailer”.
“Today the protesting farmers took out a tractor march. Tomorrow they hold talks with the Central government. This march has been considered as a display of strength and power by the farmers. But today’s march is only a trailer, farmer leaders have threatened to hold a tractor march on a larger scale on 26 January if their demands aren’t met,” Sardana said.
Sardana asked if the government would agree to the demands following the farmers display of “strength”.
He also talked about the Supreme Court asking the central government about Covid protocols in the protest.
“SC asked the Centre if Covid protocols are being followed at the protest. The CJI said that if rules aren’t followed then a problem like Tablighi Jamaat will repeat itself,” the anchor said.
With inputs from Saumya Sharma