Arnab Goswami chat leaks: Congress stages protests across Maharashtra

Workers of the Congress staged agitations across Maharashtra, including in Mumbai, demanding action against Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami over leaked WhatsApp chats related to the Balakot airstrike and other sensitive national issues. The party alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its top leaders were shielding Goswami.

In Mumbai, a protest was held outside Republic TV’s office in Lower Parel followed by a rally at Jambori Maidan in Worli. As part of its nationwide protest over the issues, key Congress leaders led marches in their respective districts.

“Goswami knew about the Balakot airstrike three days in advance and the information was leaked to him by top BJP leaders. He is a ‘traitor’ and should be booked for sedition. BJP leaders are shielding him for their political interest by compromising national security. Goswami has used the sacrifice of the CRPF jawans martyred in Pulwama attack for financial gain by boosting TRPs. If central agencies failed to take action against him, Mumbai Police should go ahead and book him for these serious violations,” said Mumbai Congress chief Bhai Jagtap.

Maharashtra Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat said, “It appears Goswami was in the know about the airstrike as part of Indian defence forces’ retaliation in response to the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019. Goswami appears to know about the airstrike three days in advance. Goswami, in one of his chats, has said that it was revealed to him by a big name in the Modi government. Thorough investigation and arrest of Goswami is a must as the issue relates to national security.”

In a statement on January 19, Goswami said, “It is beyond absurd to suggest that expecting India to strike back at Pakistan, after the Pulwama attack, was a crime. It was publicly available information and thousands of journalists reported, wrote, broadcast and analysed in the same direction after Pulwama. I am horrified that the Congress party thinks that any journalist in India expressing the views publicly stated by the government is committing a crime.”