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Video Producer: Shohini Bose
Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj
Cameraperson: Abhishek Ranjan
‘Yeh Jo India Hai Na… yahan ke neta ka jo swag hai... kisi Arnab Goswami ke paas bhi uss swag ka jawaab nahi!’
Take a look at this cartoon by Sajith Kumar of the Deccan Herald – a Neta representing the Government of India, shedding ‘crocodile tears’ over the dramatic arrest of Arnab Goswami by the Maharashtra Police.
What this cartoon tells us is this – that for all of Arnab’s blatant partisan journalism, for all the media trials and newsroom-lynchings that he conducts as the nation’s number one ‘godi media’ person, for all the favours he did by manufacturing the Rhea Chakraborty witch-hunt to distract the public from the government’s mishandling of the pandemic and the economy, when it came to the crunch, the netas were not there for him.
They were not there when the police dramatically walked into Arnab’s home and hauled him off in a police van, ironically, over a charge of abetment of suicide – the very charge that he has spent months trying to pin on Chakraborty.
LESSONS FOR ARNAB
Sitting somewhere in judicial custody... possibly reflecting with brutal honesty, on the events of the last few days, the last few months, even the last few years:
This is one view on Arnab’s arrest – that he had it coming. What you do unto others, could come right back and get you. Meaning, Arnab’s witch-hunt against Chakraborty and against others over the years – all the news-room name-calling, the shaming and bullying and bashing, being the vulture – in this cartoon, as it were – beware, it could also happen to you. And now, it has.
But it’s a view that we must disagree with. Not just as journalists, but even as citizens who believe in the rule of law. Because, no matter how much one disagrees with Arnab’s brand of journalism – the theatrics of abusing politicians, cops and ordinary folk, of willingly becoming a political proxy, we must also protest his arrest if it emerges that it is politically motivated.
The unfortunate death by suicide of architect Anvay Naik, the suicide note naming Arnab, the issue of the alleged outstanding dues of Rs 83 lakh – whether it amounts to abetment of suicide, the issue of the re-opening of the case – these are legal issues still to be ruled upon.
But, even so, as the Editorial Guild of India has put it, Arnab’s arrest is “extremely distressing” and the expectation from the Maharashtra government is that “Goswami is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by the media.” And that expectation is important.
LAW, POLICE, GOVT MACHINERY CAN'T BE USED TO SETTLE POLITICAL SCORES
The law, the police, any government machinery, MUST NOT, CANNOT be used to settle political scores. We’re not sure if Arnab would bat for us if the police swooped in on us tomorrow on a flimsy charge. But we would bat for Arnab if he was targeted unfairly by the powers that be.
And that leads us to another point – which is well put in this cartoon, by my colleague Aroop Mishra and the point is – while we oppose the arrest of Arnab as an attack on press freedom, he cannot be the ONLY journalist who’s arrest we should be protesting.
We should protest:
The list of journalists who’ve been targeted by the government, by the police, is long. But while those defending Arnab launch:
the freedom of expression of dozens of other journalists is of little interest to them.
Yeh Jo India Hai Na… here it's not just the freedom of expression of Arnab that matters, but indeed that of every Indian!
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)