Centre’s charges of rioting, sedition against journalists are not correct: Shiv Sena

The Shiv Sena on Thursday targeted the Centre over the sedition case filed against lawmaker Shashi Tharoor and journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Anant Nath, Zafar Agha and Vinod Jose

The Shiv Sena on Thursday targeted the Centre over the sedition case filed against lawmaker Shashi Tharoor and journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Anant Nath, Zafar Agha and Vinod Jose. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena questioned why it has not taken suo moto action against “godi media”– a derogatory term for a section of the media seen to be pro-government, for spreading false news and Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, who allegedly leaked matters of national security.

A sedition case filed against lawmaker Shashi Tharoor (in pic) and journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Anant Nath, Zafar Agha and Vinod Jose. (PTI)

On January 30, Delhi Police lodged a case against Tharoor, Sardesai, and others for alleged misreporting and spreading disharmony following the death of a protestor during the tractor rally in New Delhi on January 26. Simultaneously, cases were lodged at Gurugram in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh under serious charges including sedition.

The editorial said the Supreme Court has stayed action against the journalists and Tharoor, but the sword of arrest is still hanging over their heads. It added that journalists should stand by them as they are safe now, but the government may crush them later. “These people may have faltered on one incident but because of that, slapping charges of rioting and sedition is not correct... Charges are pressed against Sardesai, Tharoor, Mrinal Pande, Jafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Vinod K Jose and Ananth Nath, but has such stringent action been taken against [the] godi media for spreading false news and misleading people?” the editorial asked.

Opposition politicians last month had demanded a probe into purported WhatsApp chats between Goswami and Partho Dasgupta, former chief executive officer of TV audience measurement agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). Goswami’s critics said the remarks he made in the chats show he may have had advanced knowledge of the Indian Air Force 2019 strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan’s Balakot region.

The chats form part of Mumbai Police’s 3,600-page supplementary charge sheet in a scandal over alleged manipulation of TV ratings. The over 500-page transcript of WhatsApp conversations between Goswami and Dasgupta sparked allegations of collusion and alleged access the TV news anchor had to classified information.

“...corrupt TV journalists like [Arnab] Goswami [are involved] in a TRP scam... [their] acts... [led to the leaking of information related to]...national security. And they still remain free. Instead of taking suo moto action and slapping sedition charges, the Central government has kept the entire issue in cold storage,” the editorial mentioned.

Goswami did not respond to HT’s messages for comment.

The editorial added that Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was once a friend of the media. “Journalists brought Modi to the top. Will Modi shed tears for an old friend?”

Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief spokesperson Keshav Upadhye, meanwhile, said that the only task the Shiv Sena has is to criticise the BJP and PM Modi. “It has become their job to criticise Modi and the BJP. They should not be given such importance. Besides, they should first see how they behaved with journalists in Maharashtra. One TV journalist in Maharashtra was imprisoned based on mere suspicion. They should not teach others,” Upadhye said.