Bhubaneswar: The media fraternity of Odisha strongly condemned the treatment meted out to Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police, and has extended its solidarity towards Republic Media Network after the former was arrested today in an abetment to suicide case of 2018.
As per reports, over a dozen officers of the Mumbai Police barged into the residence of Arnab Goswami today at around 7.45 AM and allegedly pushed and heckled the senior journalist asking him to come along for an investigation.
Later, he was forcibly dragged out of his home even as his family kept protesting.
Speaking to OTV, Prasanna Mohanty, the Secretary of National Union of Journalists & President of Odisha Union of Journalists expressed his disgust against the Mumbai Police action. "I am lost for words, don't know what to say.
Such practices by State governments that aim to throttle the voice of media, started in Maharashtra and can be seen in different parts of the country, including in Odisha. Numerous complaints are filed against media personnel for no reasons, but there has been no action against the actual culprits. This has triggered resentment among citizens of the country. The journalist fraternity of Odisha strongly condemns the arrest of Arnab Goswani by Mumbai Police which is acting at the behest of Maharashtra government."
"I can see dark days ahead for the scribes who practice free and fair journalism and do not get suppressed by any power. If this persists, I feel practicing journalism will become difficult in future. Many media houses are acting as spokespersons of influential personalities while the rest are being harassed.
Today's incident has also raised questions over the security of scribes and this is unfortunate," lamented Mohanty.
Senior Journalist Rajaram Satpathy said, "The way Arnab Goswami was picked up from his residence shows the aggressive and vindictive attitude of Maharashtra Government towards him. Republic TV had been reporting the alleged laid back approach of Maharashtra government and Mumbai Police in handling Sushant Singh Rajput case and also exposed the government on several occasions. This has triggered anger in the Maha government."
"Even when the case was closed a couple of years ago, re-opening it and arresting Arnab Goswami by digging new angles shows the aggressive mindset of the people in power corridor in Maharashtra. This is unfortunate and reminds me of the emergency situation. It has also posed a challenge for the judicial system of the country," added Satpathy.
Senior journalist Akshay Kumar Sahoo feels this is a direct attack on the democracy. "Voices rising against the system are being suppressed. We (journalists) will soon become endangered species like Olive Ridley turtles hunt down by influential people. Those who are connected to journalism in actual terms are now feeling insecure. It is a direct attack on the democracy."
"Arnab and his team have been constantly questioning the work of Maharashtra government which was unacceptable for the latter. Not only journalists, the Editors Guild of India and several ministers have come forward against the act of Mumbai Police and the concerned government," added Sahoo.
(Edited By Devbrat Patnaik)
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Editors Guild Of India Condemns Arrest Of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami
Reminds Of The Emergency: Top Leaders Slam Maharashtra Govt’s ‘Forceful’ Arrest Of Arnab Goswami