Arnab Goswami gets legal notice: Media group threatens him for using phrase 'nation wants to know'

Arnab Goswami, the popular news anchor who recently announced the launch of his new news venture Republic, uploaded a three-minute audio clip on Youtube on Monday, claiming to have received a legal notice from a media group. Goswami said the media group threatened him with imprisonment if he uses the phrase ’nation wants to know'.

“My dear viewers, I’ve just received another legal threat. This time I’m sharing it with you. A media group has sent me a six-page letter threatening me with imprisonment if I ever use the phrase ’nation wants to know’. They say they own the phrase ’nation wants to know’,” Goswami said.

Goswami  became inextricably associated with the phrase ’nation wants to know’ during his tenure as editor-in-chief of Times Now.

Goswami added: “I have watched the nervous antics of this media group with amusement and horror for the last few months. Today, I am replying to them in public. To them I say: The threat of imprisonment will not deter me. Bring your money bags and your lawyers. File the criminal case against me for using the phrase ’nation wants to know’. Do everything you can. Spend all the money you have. Arrest me. I am waiting right now, on my studio floor. The phrase ’nation wants to know’ belongs to you, me and to all of us. To every citizen of this country.”

Goswami said he had used the phrase ’nation wants to know’ with pride during his reporting and debates for the past 20 years and he was deeply indebted to the viewers, who had found his journalism worthy of representing the public interest. He added that every Indian had a right to use the phrase and that this phrase ’nation wants to know’ comes from the heart.

He further asked the public if he should stop using the phrase. He alleged that his team members had been harassed and threatened with  “untoward action” and that this media group’s aim had been to stall and delay the launch of Republic. Goswami ended by saying that team Republic is unstoppable and told the media group to “bring it on.”