“Baagon Mein Bahaar Hai?” Ravish Kumar Mimes Dissent on NDTV Ban
“If we can’t question, then what will we do?” Ravish Kumar asks in a satirical primetime show after the NDTV ban.
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Satire is often the most powerful way to protest. After I&B Ministry banned NDTV India for one day, Ravish Kumar hosted a primetime broadcast with two mimes as panelists. In the show, Kumar counters censorship with incisive satire peppered with searing wit.
In his introduction, Kumar questions how authority and police is perceived as being above all scrutiny. He then introduces two mimes, who he compares to trolls on social media or ‘troll babus.’ During the broadcast, he keeps asking them questions, newsy or otherwise. After a point, the mimes get agitated and through gestures and gibberish, ask Kumar to stop asking questions.
Also Read: NDTV India Ban: Journos Fume, Website Goes Offline in Solidarity
Talking about the NDTV ban, Ravish Kumar said that the channel will reply to I&B Ministry soon and in the meanwhile, the channel will continue to report with integrity. Here are the main takeaways from his speech.
You can watch the full broadcast of the show here
‘Speak Quiet Truths’: Twitter Doffs Hat to Ravish’s Satire
Social media users appreciated the unusual broadcast; with some comparing it to Indian media’s resistance during the Emergency.
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