Silenced - (PR)ess freedom and India
- Neil
- Nov 7, 2020
- 3 min read
Of late, there is a lot of tension brewing in the state of Maharashtra. In this article, I will aim to simplify the current situation and effectively cancel out most of the noise about the arrest of Arnab Goswami who is a "news anchor". This is Part 1 of 2.
What happened?
On the 4th of November 2020, Mumbai and Raigad police conducted a joint operation to detain Arnab Goswami. He was arrested in connection to a saddening mother-son suicide case. Anvay Naik named Goswami in his suicide letter, apparently due to financial issues which he had faced because the latter was among others who had not paid him for his work.
The three firms owed Naik’s company, Concorde Designs Pvt Ltd, Rs 83 lakh, Rs 4 crore and Rs 55 lakh respectively, the note added. An officer said that during the investigation they found that Anvay was in heavy debt and was struggling to repay money to contractors.
Mr Goswami though suggests that he has paid his dues.
This case was closed in 2018 as the police didn't find evidence to suggest that he was in anyway linked to the horrific suicide case. The police had reopened the case as the daughter of the victim sought justice by approaching the home minister of Maharashtra.
This video should explain some more:
It's a known fact that the police dances under whichever political party is in power. Oh, and of course it is also a known fact that Arnab Goswami is a crucial piece of BJP's propaganda. He makes enough noise to let BJP's fascist properties go unnoticed. Hence, after putting 2 and 2 together we can understand why someone like Arnab Goswami who makes stuff communal, offensive, noise and disrespectful was allowed to make noise and potentially influence millions of Indians.
An argument which many present is the timing of this incident. Why is it being thought about now?
Hypocrisy
Soon after the arrest, BJP leaders went on a tweeting spree saying that press freedom has been killed and this reminds them about the times under the Indira Gandhi emergency. the same BJP which puts journalists under the UAPA – a terror prevention act for just reporting on news. The same BJP in which over 50 have been arrested.
Let me call out a few examples.
A man was slapped with sedition for showing a video in which kids were given roti and salt as their lunch.
It's also common for journalists to be killed and it's a painstakingly long time till they get justice.
Another common thing is for normal people expressing themselves or capturing something to be put in jail for a year. Of course, after a whole year they are let out because they are innocent.
This argument – even though childish seems like a logical argument. In the end, everything gets blurry. Like what happened in the SSR case, everything will become a political game and the victim will never get justice and these people will continue making noise pollution.
Part 2 will provide more knowledge about this.
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Thank you for reading.
Expresing our right to freedom of expression and free speech. Peacefully.
The video is courtesy of the Indian express. Illustration by dreamstine.com
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End of Article. Add your opinion.
Nicely expressed dear Neil , keep writing and great tgoughts !