Congress says Arnab Goswami has gone 'insane' after remarks on Sonia Gandhi; complaints filed against TV anchor across India

Congress leaders slammed TV anchor Arnab Goswami for his remarks aimed at party president Sonia Gandhi during a discussion on the Palghar lynching incident in which three persons, including two sadhus were killed by a mob. While party’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that it was “deeply disgraceful that PM and BJP eulogise this brand of TV anchors”, former Karnatka chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted that “#ArnabGoswami & @republic are examples of how NOT to do journalism”. [caption id=“attachment_7582161” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] FIle image of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. News18[/caption] Surjewala in his tweet said, “Let PM remember that Sonia Gandhi has spent over 50 years of life in India, serving the country and being a witness to sacrifice of her mother-in-law and husband. But your favourite abusive anchors won’t bat an eyelid before hurling filth. Silence is acquiescence, Mr PM!”. During a discussion on the Palghar incident, Goswami had remarked on her Italian origin while saying, “I think Sonia is happy in her heart that saints are being attacked in a state where she has formed the government”. Meanwhile, cases have also been filed by youth Congress leaders against the TV presenter in several states including in Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. Slamming Goswami, the editor-in-chief and owner of Republic TV, for his remarks against Gandhi, senior Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said she has been a highly successful Congress president. “Ridiculous attack by Arnab Goswami on Sonia Gandhi Ji in derogatory language is totally shameful and unacceptable. She was 22-years-old when she came to India and has been living here for 52 years, of which she has dedicated most of her life to the service of the country,” Singh tweeted. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that Goswami should be sacked over his comments, saying that the TV presenter has gone “insane and crossed all limits”. He tweeted:

Attack on mrs Sonia Gandhi by Arnab Goswami is highly condemnable. He has gone insane and crossed all limits, he should be ashamed of himself . I must ask the Editors guild - isn’t this all time low for journalism ? Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar must sack him immediately.

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) April 22, 2020

However BJP IT head Amit Malviya defended Goswami, saying he spoke the truth. “Shame on Congress for attacking Arnab because he spoke the truth. In 2013, Wiki cable said that Sonia Gandhi wanted Bajrang Dal banned in Odisha and Karnataka, but she retracted when MK Narayanan explained that their response was against forced conversions by Pentecostal groups,” he tweeted. Malviya also hit back at Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot over the Congress leader’s demand to “sack” Goswami. “Abuse Modi, get Padma Shri and go to Rajya Sabha. And if the truth of Sonia Gandhi is shown, then sack him. How will this do? Freedom of speech can’t be a one way street!” the BJP’s information technology wing head tweeted. Cases filed against Goswami Youth Congress leader and Chhattisgarh Cabinet minster TS Singh Deo tweeted that he has filed a complaint against Goswami in Raipur for “deliberately making inflammatory statements on his channel to invoke hatred among different communities and using derogatory language against Sonia Gandhi”. Youth Congress leader Srivatsa YB tweeted that cases have also been filed against Goswami in Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, etc.

Cases have been filed by Youth Congress against Arnab Goswami in Maharashtra, Telangana, MP, Jharkhand, J&K, Uttarakhand etc

Cases will be filed everywhere to ensure Arnab will spend more time in courts and jails than in a TV Studio spewing hate.#ArrestAntiIndiaArnab pic.twitter.com/cPgggIRr64

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) April 22, 2020

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Right to information activist Saket Gokhale tweeted that he has filed a complaint in the Inofrmation and Broadcasting Ministry against Arnab Goswami for broadcasting content that seeks to promote communal tension.

Filed a complaint with the I&B Ministry against Arnab Goswami for broadcasting content that seeks to promote communal tension. Have also sought an action-taken report within 7 days.

If Goswami is rabid, we MUST be tenacious in ensuring he's neutered no matter who his master is. pic.twitter.com/QJMGotVo9u

— Saket Gokhale MP (@SaketGokhale) April 22, 2020

With inputs from PTI