Remember Times Now anchor Navika Kumar’s stunning apology after she used objectionable language for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi last year. One year on, Times Now has been forced to issue a public apology for peddling another round of fake news against the Congress. Far from being impressed, the Congress has hit back at the controversial TV channel, calling it ‘WMD (Weapons of Mass Disinformation).’
The latest episode of controversy was triggered by Times Now’s fake news identifying a member of a rival political party as a member of the Congress party. The TV channel claimed that one Ashwani Handa had supported the call for a ban on Hindu hymns and performing of Surya Namaskar in Jammu and Kashmir schools. The channel mischievously identified Handa as a Congress leader.
As it turned out Handa was a member of a new party formed by expelled Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Angry Congress leaders slammed Times Now for peddling fake news and demanded an apology. The TV channel was also warned of legal action if they did not issue an apology.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted, “Following up on this. This channel is a WMD–Weapon of Mass Disinformation.”
Following up on this. This channel is a WMD–Weapon of Mass Disinformation https://t.co/C1A2SrsVvw
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) October 1, 2022
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate tweeted, “. @TimesNow The person you are quoting as our leader is not even primary member of INC. He is a part of Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad’s party. Pl make amends both on air and online, else legal action will be taken.”
Faced with widespread condemnation, Times Now deleted its tweet and issued a clarification. It wrote, “TIMES NOW has noted the strong reservations expressed by the J&K congress to an error wrongly identifying the member of a political party with Congress. The error was wholly inadvertent. The error is regretted and the tweet has been pulled down.”
Not satisfied with the TV channel’s clarification, Ramesh tweeted, “The error was deliberate. So don’t compound one lie with another.”
He added, “also your aired the lie. now apologise the same way. you cant get away by merely tweeting a half hearted regret.”
Last year, Times Now anchor Navika Kumar was forced to issue a public apology for using objectionable language for Rahul Gandhi.
