Union Minister Smriti Irani gave a befitting reply to a self-proclaimed ‘journalist’ on Wednesday who was enthusiastically defending the arrest of Arnab Goswami by claiming that there was no need for people to express their outrage against Republic TV chief.
On Wednesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani took to Twitter to condemn the arbitrary arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, who was assaulted and dragged by the Mumbai Police earlier in the day in a 2018 suicide case.
Warning about a similar action against other journalists in the future, Minister Smriti Irani said that those in the free press who did not stand up today in support of Arnab Goswami was tactically supporting fascism.
She added that one may not like him, disapprove or despise his existence but staying silent is nothing but supporting suppression. Who speaks if you are next?,” asked Smriti Irani following the witch-hunt by Mumbai Police against Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami.
As Smriti Irani warned the so-called ‘free press’ about the increasing authoritarianism of the Maharashtra government, a troll masquerading as a journalist named as Supriya Nair, who goes by the user name ‘Rosie Roti’ on Twitter, jumped on to her timeline to rant against Arnab Goswami.
Expressing glee over Goswami’s arrest, the self-proclaimed ‘journalist’ defended Mumbai Police’s action by claiming that Arnab Goswami had indulged in levelling false charges, destroying reputations, to incite mob hatred and to shore up support for an increasingly authoritarian state to crush free expression.
“The least his regime supporters can do is refrain from tweeting like it’s 2013,” said the Mumbai Mirror journalist suggesting that Arnab Goswami arrest did not qualify to be condemned. The ‘journalist’ also called Smriti Irani a ‘regime supporter’.
Following Nair’s rants against Smriti Irani and Arnab Goswami, Union Minister calmly gave a befitting reply to the so-called ‘journalist’ by schooling her how she can ‘troll’ a cabinet minister and getaway, was an indication of how her freedom of expression is upheld in the country.
“As somebody who has been at the receiving end of fake news, body shamed, humiliated and has survived the assault, I don’t need life or political lessons,” Smriti Irani responded to Supriya Nair subtly asserting that current ruling dispensation in the country is extremely tolerant to views contrary to the narrative weaved out by the ‘left-liberal’ media.
With no words to respond to, the troll falsely accused the Union Minister of calling her a ‘troll’ and began to play the victim card by saying that it was the indication of how contingent the minister was to thing her rights are.
Responding to the lowly remark made by the ‘journalist’ against her, Smriti Irani hit back by saying that the fact that Nair called her a ‘regime supporter’ itself was not indicative of her being a ‘journalist’.
“The fact that you call me names and there are no cops beating down your door is an indication of how your rights are protected,” said Smriti Irani reminding the ‘journalist’ how they have been much more tolerant to contrary ideological and political views.
Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami arrested
Continuing their witch-hunt against Republic TV chief, the Mumbai Police on Wednesday arrested Arnab Goswami. The Mumbai Police reached Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami’s residence on Wednesday and physically manhandled him as they tried to detain him in a 2018 abetment to suicide case that was already closed.
A team of Mumbai Police arrested Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami after they physically assaulted and dragged him by grabbing his hair.
In a shocking act, a large contingent of Mumbai Police was seen present at Goswami’s residence on Wednesday morning. In the below video, it can be seen how officials of the Mumbai Police were manhandling the Republic TV chief.
#BREAKING | Arnab Goswami physically manhandled by Mumbai Police team inside his residence on #LIVE TV https://t.co/jghcajZuXf pic.twitter.com/hUOldx7P4y
— Republic (@republic) November 4, 2020
The Mumbai Police has not produced any documents, summons or court papers as they reached Arnab Goswami’s residence as they tried to arrest him. The Mumbai Police team also blocked Republic Media Network’s reporters from entering Arnab’s residence and have sealed all entry and exit points.
Mumbai Police carried AK-47 to arrest Arnab Goswami
In a shocking display of the might of the state, the Mumbai Police not only assaulted and dragged Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami before making the arrest but also physically assaulted his minor son and other family members.
Speaking to the media soon after the arrest, Arnab Goswami said that Mumbai Police assaulted his wife, minor son at his residence. Reportedly, Arnab Goswami’s elderly father-in-law and mother-in-law were also assaulted by the Mumbai Police.
#IndiaWithArnab | ‘They beat my son,’ Arnab Goswami manages to say through the van’s window after SHOCKING assault by Mumbai Police at his house; Fire in your support for #ArnabGoswami; Send in your videos; Join us now, #LIVE here – https://t.co/jghcajZuXf pic.twitter.com/JAyCe2iHh5
— Republic (@republic) November 4, 2020
According to Republic Media Network’s Niranjan Narayanaswamy, at least 10 Mumbai Police personnel armed with assault weapons such as AK-47 barged into Arnab Goswami’s residence on Wednesday to arrest him in a 2018 case which was closed after court’s order. He added that more than 30 Mumbai Police personnel armed with weapons arrested and dragged him to Raigad police station in connection with the case.
In May 2018, an FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami in an alleged abetment to suicide case. An interior Designer had committed suicide in his bungalow in Alibaug. In a suicide note, Anvay Naik claimed Goswami and the other two persons—Feroz Shaikh and Niteish Sarda—owed him a total of Rs 5.4 crore. However, Goswami was investigated and the case was closed by the court after a closure report was filed by the Police. You could read about the case in detail here.