Dear Kunal Kamra & Arnab Goswami, Who Are You ‘Fighting’ For?

Padmini Vaidyanathan pens an open letter to Kunal Kamra and Arnab Goswami, expressing her disappointment.

Dear Mr Kamra and Mr Goswami,

One of you is my former boss, and the other, someone I really admire and look up to for bringing political issues to the masses in a way we can truly understand.

But in the last 24 hours, a ‘harassment’ episode on a flight and a ‘screaming’ show from a newsroom has left me (and perhaps many others) disappointed and heartbroken.

We are in the throes of a tumultuous political situation that will determine the way the future of the country will be shaped. And that future goes beyond and affects more than the few of us who can share videos, memes and selfies, from whichever side of the story we are on.

Important to Remember Those Worst Affected by CAA-NRC

CAA, NRC are serious issues — that much is clear to all of us. But chaahe hum kagaz dikhaye ya na dikhaye, it is important to remember those who will be worst affected by the implementation of CAA and NRC — those who don't have the documents, kaagaz. We are fighting for those — the daily wage labourer who has to feed her daughter, the manual scavenger whose family will starve, the transgender person who has already been discriminated by society and the law, and everyone else in between.

Mr Kamra, you have been fearlessly and bravely fighting the good fight. I admire that you are one of the few comedians who’ve used their voice to question those who need to be held responsible.

Then why harass a man you know won’t give you any answers?

It is hilarious to see the memes and video mash-ups on your channel. But is that where I should stop listening to you? How is harassing a man, no matter how different his ideology is from yours, an answer?

And Mr Goswami, a man I once called my boss, I was on your side when you refused to answer Mr Kamra's questions; you have every right not to. But you went back to the safe space of your newsroom and started screaming.

Mr Kamra & Mr Goswami, Stop Making a ‘Mockery’ of Those Affected by CAA-NRC

Dear Mr Kamra and Mr Goswami,

Who are you fighting for? The ones with no voice, or for your viewership? Is the suffering of millions, who will be affected by the CAA and NRC, just a mere show — that we make sure it gets enough eyeballs for it to be trending, and for everyone to argue for one side or the other?

Mr Goswami, please go to Shaheen Bagh, talk to the women there and try to understand why they sit there every day.

Mr Kamra, go to the courts and fight against the blasphemous ripping of our Constitution. I will stand with you and fight with you then.

But for now, please stop making a mockery of the people who do not even know what awaits them.

(Padmini Vaidyanathan is a former journalist, who currently heads a digital channel, and has a few things to say about the state of our country from time to time. Her views do not represent that of her current organisation’s.)

(This is a personal blog and the views expressed are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)