An old video of journalist Barkha Dutt accusing Arnab Goswami of bringing shame to the profession of journalism has triggered a fresh controversy, leaving a section of Twitterati including supporters of the Republic TV founder outraged. The video in question was of Barkha’s interview by Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Kareena had asked Barkha why journalists were too harsh on celebrities. Replying to Kareena’s question, Barkha had said, “I think what Mr. Goswami has been doing has brought enormous shame to the journalism that I believe in…. It is about bringing journalism down to a level where it is unrecognisable.”
The veteran journalist had gone on to add, “I think what Arnab has done masquerading as journalism has brought enormous shame and embarrassment to all of us in the profession. That’s for sure.”
Kareena had interviewed Barkha in 2020, not long after the veteran journalist had travelled across India by road to capture the misery caused by the prolonged period of a nationwide lockdown. But, many social media users have begun to share the content of that interview to attack Barkha.
Soumyadipta Banerjee, who has previously worked with The Times of India, Web18 (CNN-IBN group), DNA, and The Telegraph, recently shared the video with scathing observations. He wrote, “Barkha Dutt in a recent talk with Kareena Kapoor lambasted Arnab Goswami. She called him, “Shame”. Is Barkha in a position to judge?
Walking into an ICU with a camera crew, videotaping funeral pyres, buried bodies… What kind of journalism is that? Shame!”
Barkha Dutt in a recent talk with Kareena Kapoor lambasted Arnab Goswami.
She called him, “Shame”.
Is Barkha in a position to judge?
Walking into an ICU with a camera crew, videotaping funeral pyres, buried bodies…
What kind of journalism is that?
Shame!pic.twitter.com/UcTWO2JpSY— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) June 2, 2021
Twitter user Namita Kumari wrote, “Khan madam, itni selective kyun ho yaar interviewee me v, @BDUTT yahi mili thi, haan pay v isi ko kar sakti ho naa, jo kaho, vahi bolegi ye, Par #ArnabGoswami ko to koi chup nhi kara sakta, fir tumhara agenda kaise fill hoga SHAME #KareenaKapoorKhan.” “She doesn’t even know what is journalism!!! And she is talking about Arnab sir.What kind of journalism is she doing?? She is a shame to this industry,” wrote user Shivani.
Both Arnab and Barkha worked together in NDTV together for several years. However, they’ve been found to be attacking each other after both left NDTV. Last year, Arnab had publicly attacked Barkha for her coverage of the pandemic. Even though he had not named her, he left very little to imagination as he referred to Barkha’s interviews with migrant workers, who made desperate efforts to return home by walking hundreds of kms amidst the national lockdown last year. Goswami had also mocked Barkha by repeatedly referring to her column in The Washington Post.
“Those who want pictures of workers going home on foot to tell the world that India does not care for its poor must be called out as liars for they do like liars. Liars who spread a negative narrative to get their $500 paycheque from the corona-hit United States of America and not shout out loud with pride that our nation has announced more for the poor of this country in the economic package than any other country has,” Arnab had said.
In 2016, Barkha had launched an all-out attack against Times Now and its then editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, for allegedly calling to gag media in India.
“Times Now calls for gagging of media & for journalists to be tried &punished. This man is journalist? I am ashamed to be from same industry as him. What’s striking is his brazen and cowardly hypocrisy. So he drones on and on about Pro Pakistan Doves without one word on the JK alliance agreement that commits the BJP and PDP to talks with Pakistan and Hurriyat and is silent on Modi’s own Pakistan outreach- neither of which I object to- but since Arnab Goswami measures patriotism by such views why is he so silent on the government? Chamchagiri?” Barkha had written in a Facebook post.