India Today is facing widespread condemnation after the media group used the word ‘Pakistan border’ to describe farmers from a village in Punjab’s Amritsar district seemingly in a bid to sensationalise the headline. Angry netizens have taken to social media to condemn the media group for defaming a particular community with an intention to promote hatred against them.
India Today Group’s Aaj Tak shared a video report by one of its reporters, Ram Kinkar Singh, on Saturday from the Ghazipur border. In the video, the reporter was standing next to a group of people, who had arrived from a village in Punjab’s Amritsar district in support of farmer leader Rakesh Tikait. But, the reporter chose to introduce them from a village next to the Pakistan border as he said, “Not one but 10 youth have come from a village close to the Pakistani border, which falls in Punjab’s Amritsar.”
India Today too flashed the same report from its official Twitter handle with a headline that read, “More than 10 youth from Amritsar Punjab (near to Pakistan border) reached Ghazipur border to stand in support of Rakesh Tikait.”
As expected, Twitterati exploded in anger tagging Aroon Purie, the media group’s owner, on Twitter. Journalist Man Aman Singh Chhina wrote in visible disgust, “Laanat hai tum logon par aur laanat hai aisi patrakarita par. (Shame on you guys and shame on such journalism). Spreading hate against residents of a state and a community.”
Curiously, Man Aman worked for India Today Group as its Punjab correspodnent before joining Indian Express.
लानत है तुम लोगों पर और लानत है ऐसी पत्रकारिता पर। Spreading hate against residents of a state and a community. https://t.co/19Qr3dvQz1
— Man Aman Singh Chhina (@manaman_chhina) January 30, 2021
Former diplomat KC Singh, tweeted, “I agree. @aroonpurie how is it imp to say “from Pakistan’s border”, which runs along Rajasthan & Gujarat too. Border villagers have borne the brunt of Pak military attack in all Indo-Pak wars. Please curb this subliminal communalisation.”
I agree. @aroonpurie how is it imp to say “from Pakistan’s border”, which runs along Rajasthan & Gujarat too. Border villagers have borne the brunt of Pak military attack in all Indo-Pak wars. Please curb this subliminal communalisation. https://t.co/n822O0NILJ
— K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) January 30, 2021
Sanjay Yadav, advisor to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, wrote, ” Does India Today owned by Aroon Purie, born in terrorist country Pakistan, love Pakistan a lot? Tomorrow this channel will say that lakhs of people residing in Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat close to the Pakistan border serve in the Indian armed forces and live in Delhi. Friends, is there any limit to lowliness?”
आतंकवादी देश पाकिस्तान में जन्मे @aroonpurie के चैनल को पाकिस्तान कुछ ज़्यादा ही भाता है क्या
कल यह चैनल कहेगा कि पाकिस्तान बॉर्डर के नज़दीकी राज्यों राजस्थान,गुजरात, पंजाब के लाखों निवासी भारतीय सेना में काम करते है। दिल्ली में रहते है।
मित्रों,नीचता की कोई सीमा होती है क्या? pic.twitter.com/HjDDMtCuyI
— Sanjay Yadav (@sanjuydv) January 30, 2021
Here’s how other netizens reacted against India Today Group’s coverage;
Gujarat also shares its border with Pakistan. A man from Gujarat (near to (SIC) Pakistan) is our PM, a man from the same Pakistan-Bordering-State is also our Home Minister. What is India Today trying to say? pic.twitter.com/8PpnjCNYif
— Sam David Uthirapathi (@tamilansdu) January 30, 2021
Nayi khabar ayi hai… india today walo ne nayi chiz btayi hai ki amritsar pakistan border k pass hai… kitni mahnat krti hai ye dalal media… pic.twitter.com/qqU0KRlYas
— Narender Kumar (@csnaren2014) January 30, 2021
Amritsar, Punjab is now ‘Pakistan border’ for India Today and Aaj Tak as they omit its name and report ‘youth from Pakistan border set out to support Rakesh Tikait’, in another desperate bid to link farmers to Pakistan pic.twitter.com/C0RF8KyTiV
— Hindutva Watch (@Hindutva__watch) January 30, 2021
Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting near Delhi borders with most of them hailing from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. They are demanding the withdrawal of the three Farm Laws that they say have been enacted to help Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s businessman friends.
While the tweet shared by India Today has been deleted following outrage, Aaj Tak has chosen to keep its tweet and video LIVE on Twitter.