In a sensational development, a portion of the alleged leaked WhatsApp chat between Arnab Goswami and former CEO of BARC, Partho Dasgupta, has revealed that the Republic TV founder knew about the Balakot air strikes three days before the Indian Air Force carried out the attack. The leaked WhatsApp chat also shows Goswami allegedly claiming that the air strikes were meant to secure the election victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the parliamentary polls.
In his alleged WhatsApp conversation with Dasgupta, Goswami said, “On another note something big will happen.” Dasgupta asked, “Dawood?”
Goswami clarified, “No sir, Pakistan. Something major will be done this time.” Dasgupta asked, “Strike? or bigger?”
Goswami said, “Bigger than a normal strike. And also on the same time something major on Kashmir. On Pakistan, the government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated. Exact words used.”
Dasgupta said that this will be good news for the big man (PM Modi) and help him ‘sweep the polls.’
India went to polls in May last year, barely a few weeks after the Pulwama attack. PM Modi and his party, the BJP, had made the martyrdom of Indian soldiers a huge election issue in a bid to extract the much-needed electoral mileage. Modi returned to power with a bigger mandate a few months later.
Goswami’s critics are now demanding action against the anchor. Srivatsa of the Congress party tweeted, “Arnab knew about the Balakot Air Strikes three days before it happened! He and his friend are chatting that this will “sweep the polls”. Who told him? This is a clear criminal offence under OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT Arnab must be immediately ARRESTED for this & tried for TREASON.”
Journalist Swati Chaturvedi tagged the Prime Minister’s Office to write, “Dear @PMOIndia who leaked eyes only secret – Balakote strike against Pakistani to Goswami? Is this how you protect military operations & the national interest?”
Former diplomat KC Singh wrote, “It seems Gov planned a two-pronged attack. Air Force bombs #Balakot & Arnab bombs Indian opposition.
Dear @PMOIndia who leaked eyes only secret – Balakote strike against Pakistani to Goswami? Is this how you protect military operations & the national interest? pic.twitter.com/zq9PiyfPeF
— Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) January 15, 2021
It seems Gov planned a two-pronged attack. Air Force bombs #Balakot & Arnab bombs Indian opposition. https://t.co/FCk6Y79rrt
— K. C. Singh (@ambkcsingh) January 16, 2021
Arnab knew about the Balakot Air Strikes three days before it happened!
He and his friend are chatting that this will “sweep the polls”. Who told him?
This is a clear criminal offence under OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT
Arnab must be immediately ARRESTED for this & tried for TREASON.
— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) January 15, 2021
Neither Goswami nor the government have reacted to the leaked WhatsApp chat between the Republic TV founder and the ex-CEO of BARC.
It’s believed that the Mumbai Police, which arrested Dasgupta in connection with the TYRP Scam case, last year, has leaked the WhatsApp chat in a bid to embarrass Goswami. The Mumbai Police on Friday told the Bombay High Court that it will not arrest Goswami until 29 January, the date of the court’s next hearing.
