Shiv Sena MP writes to state home minister, demands action against Arnab Goswami

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant on Tuesday wrote to home minister Anil Deshmukh demanding action against Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami for allegedly naming a Maharashtra cabinet minister in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case without any evidence and violating the norms of the Press Council of India.  Goswami did not respond to HT’s texts till the time of going to press. 

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The former Union minister in his letter said that Goswami’s reference to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is “aggravating”. The South Mumbai MP alleged that Goswami, for the interest of a few people, was spreading false news. The news channels have named Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son and minister Aaditya Thackeray in connection with Rajput’s suicide. “Under the garb of journalism, Mr Arnab Goswami, chief editor of Hindi news channel Republic Bharat and English news channel Republic TV, is constantly airing news irresponsibly. Without any evidence, the news channels and its chief editor Arnab Goswami have been levelling allegations on Maharashtra Cabinet minister,” he alleged in the letter. 

The Sena deputy leader alleged that in the past too, Goswami, while presenting news, had spoken in a derogatory manner against politicians and opposition leaders, for which cases have been lodged against him. 

Speaking to TV channels on Tuesday, Sawant said there is a new fad of “media trial” and said guidelines of the Press Council of India and code have to be followed while reporting about an ongoing case.

 “Recently, it is seen channels decide the accused, name some people, and indulge in character assassination. The body language and the manner in which this is done is so disrespectful. It came to a point where Maharashtra Chief Minister was singularly named. Such language is aggravating. This is not just disrespecting the person but the insult of the entire state, because he is the CM of this state. I have asked the home minister to take cognisance of this. They think nobody will question them,” he said.