BJP President JP Nadda on Monday extended extraordinary support to ‘BJP workers’ facing police complaints and grilling by cops in various states. Taking to Twitter, Nadda assured ‘every BJP worker, supporter & well wisher, who is being targeted by those scared of their unprincipled politics getting exposed’ that they enjoyed the BJP president’s support. As expected, it didn’t take long for Twitterati to conclude that Nadda had officially declared Arnab Goswami as a ‘BJP worker.’
Nadda’s tweet had read, “I want to assure every BJP worker, supporter & well wisher, who is being targeted by those scared of their unprincipled politics getting exposed, that the BJP stands with you. We will defend your right to free speech and resist these tyrannical forces in the democratic framework.”
I want to assure every BJP worker, supporter & well wisher, who is being targeted by those scared of their unprincipled politics getting exposed, that the BJP stands with you. We will defend your right to free speech and resist these tyrannical forces in the democratic framework.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) May 18, 2020
In another tweet, the BJP president had said, “In the last few days, it has been observed that in opposition ruled states, the state machinery has been used unfairly to target BJP workers and independent voices on social media, critical of the local government’s handling of Covid. In a vibrant democracy, this is unacceptable.”
In the last few days, it has been observed that in opposition ruled states, the state machinery has been used unfairly to target BJP workers and independent voices on social media, critical of the local government’s handling of Covid. In a vibrant democracy, this is unacceptable.
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) May 18, 2020
Nadda’s response came on the eve of a likely verdict by India’s Supreme Court in Goswami’s plea seeking quashing of police complaint against him for causing communal tension in the country. The Supreme Court, which had reserved its judgment on the matter last week, is expected to pronounce the verdict today. The top court had earlier given a three-week protection from arrest to Goswami in another FIR, which accused him of trying to incite communal riots through his TV broadcast during the coverage of Palghar lynching. The controversial anchor had to face an intense grilling by the Mumbai Police for more than 12 hours.
Soon, social media users took to Twitter to conclude that Nadda’s statement was conclusive evidence that Arnab Goswami was a BJP working masquerading as a journalist.
But at least he is accepting openly Arnab is a BJP worker. https://t.co/D5ST2ZvU0O
— ਹਰੀਸ਼ ਗਰਗ (@harishkgarg) May 18, 2020
I want 2 assure every BJP worker, SUDHIR & ARNAB, who is being targeted by those scared of their unprincipled politics getting exposed, that the BJP stands with you. We’ll defend ur right 2 free speech & resist these tyrannical forces n the democratic framework.@sudhirchaudhary https://t.co/oDRjqWzFqp
— Indomitable Indian (@IndomitableInd) May 18, 2020
Attention Gooswami & Poopindia. https://t.co/oVCyjMmH0r
— Akash Banerjee (@TheDeshBhakt) May 18, 2020
Areey Nadda, This compassion should be shown to migrants on the road not to Arnab Goswami and likes. You have groomed them. Just wait, All fuherers get nailed one day.
— Aju Thomas (@Aslan11317540) May 18, 2020
In another development, Sudhir Chaudhary of Zee News had recently revealed how the Kerala Police had filed an FIR against him for his communal broadcast targeting Muslims in March this year.
Elsewhere, a right-wing propaganda blog page, OpIndia, has faced police complaints against its workers namely Ajeet Bharti and Nupur Sharma with the latter being called for questioning by the Kolkata Police on Sunday. Both are accused of running an incredibly dangerous fake story on the mysterious death of a boy in Bihar. OpIndia had sensationally alleged that the boy, a Hindu, was killed by Muslims to make the local mosque more powerful. Both the Bihar Police and the deceased’s father had later rubbished OpIndia’s claims calling it fake news.
OpIndia is notorious for peddling fake news and had to face public shaming on several occasions in the past. Reacting to the propaganda blog page’s latest attempt to cause communal riots in Bihar, noted Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan said on Twitter, “OpIndia is a godi media portal created to spread hateful fake news. They are committing serious offences under the Penal Code. Why are they having a free run? Time for people to lodge FIRs against them & for the police at least in Opp run States to hold them accountable.”
Reacting to Arnab Goswami’s recent shenanigans, several Bollywood personalities including Mulk director Anubhav Sinha, Saif Ali Khan’s co-star Kubbra Sait and TV actress Kavita Kaushik had lashed out at the Republic TV founder.