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Union Minister Smriti Irani gives a befitting reply to ‘troll-cum-journalist’ who defends Mumbai Police assault against Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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Union Minister Smriti Irani gives a befitting reply to ‘troll-cum-journalist’ who defends Mumbai Police assault against Arnab Goswami

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.

Image Source: Smriti Irani

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.

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.

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.

Comedian shares image showing a bloody decapitated head of Donald Trump on election night, days after beheadings in France

OpIndia Staff
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Comedian shares image showing a bloody decapitated head of Donald Trump on election night, days after beheadings in France

Unfunny comedian Kathy Griffin has once again shared the gruesome image on social media where she could be seen holding a caricature of the severed head of US President Donald Trump. She had shared the image in the past as well and she was condemned for it widely by people across the political spectrum.

Kathy Griffin tweet

Kathy Griffin did not post any caption to go with the photograph. But as they say, a picture speaks a thousand words. Her morbid hatred for Donald Trump was evident in her tweet. In May, 2017, she was fired by CNN for sharing precisely the same image. However, on election night, with uncertainty looming over the results, she decided to post the image once again.

The timing of the tweet appears to be in very poor taste as a spate of beheading is underway across Europe with Islamic terrorists taking offence to cartoons on prophet Muhammad. At a time when Europe is struggling to deal with Islamic terrorism, for Kathy Griffin to proudly shared an image depicting the bloodied severed head of Donald Trump does not bode well for the country under current circumstances.

Furthermore, there is genuine possibility of violence in the United States as uncertainty looms over the results of the presidential elections. Crucial states such as Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are too close to call with Joe Biden having taken the lead in Wisconsin as of the time of writing this report with 5% of the votes remaining to be counted. Donald Trump has announced that he will approach the Supreme Court and the winner is unlikely to be declared on election night.

Orders to arrest Arnab Goswami was given to SP Raigad directly from Uddhav Thackeray’s office: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Orders to arrest Arnab Goswami was given to SP Raigad directly from Uddhav Thackeray’s office: Report

Around 30 police personnel, many armed with assault rifles, physically assaulted and dragged Republic TV editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, to the Raigad police station on Wednesday morning. The media network has now made another shocking revelation that the SP of Raigad police station had received direct orders to arrest the journalist from Uddhav Thackeray’s office.

A report by Republic TV said that since Mumbai police DG did not concur with the CID chief on the matter of the arrest of the Republic Chief in an old case, where CID had then found no evidence against Arnab earlier. The report claimed that the Maharashtra CM met Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh and released orders of the arrest.

“As per top sources, the Mumbai Police DG did not concur with the CID chief on arrest and therefore Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh met over the issue. Sources also say that SP Raigad was directly given orders from CM office for Arnab’s arrest”, reports Republic TV.

Actually, Arnab Goswami was arrested in a 2018 abetment to suicide case which was closed but has now been reopened. The Mumbai Police has said that they have recorded a fresh statement in the 2018 case because they beleive that the evidence was tampered with earlier. Under this pretext, they claim that fresh investigation in the matter is necessary.

The channel claims that the state home minister had then handed over the matter of re-opening this particular case to the state CID, but the case wasn’t reopened due to lack of evidence. Now, the state government led by Uddhav Thackeray, due to its vendetta against the channel, has made the local Raigad police reinvestigate the matter.

Calling out Maha Govt’s vendetta against the channel and its head, it said that the arrest of Arnab Goswami has been made by Raigad police station even as the matter of re-opening the case was given to state CID which did not find evidence.

Arnab Goswami arrested by Mumbai police

The Mumbai police had arrested editor-in-chief of Republic Media Network on Wednesday morning. We reported how Mumbai Police team of at least 30 police personnel, led by encounter specialist Sachin Vaze, allegedly carrying assault rifles like AK-47 barged into Arnab’s house without any summons, documents or court papers, assaulted him, dragged him into a police van and took him away. Arnab Goswami’s minor son, his parents-in-law were also reportedly subjected to assault.

Republic TV Vs Maha Govt

Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami has been in loggerheads with the Maharashtra government ever-since the channel went ahead to extensively report the Palghar lynching case and then the Sushant Singh Rajput’s death case. Arnab, who is being hounded by the state machinery for quite some time now had said that the Maharashtra Government was scared that the truth would be revealed therefore they are attempting to muzzle their voices.

UP: Explosion in illegal firecracker factory in Kushinagar, house owner Javed and 3 others dead

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Explosion in illegal firecracker factory in Kushinagar, house owner Javed and 3 others dead

In a major explosion in an illegal fireworks factory that was being run in a house in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh, four people lost their lives and several others suffered injuries. The illegal crackers factory was being run in the house of a man named Javed, situated in ward number 11 of Kaptanganj. All the people who died and some who suffered injuries belong to the same family.

Some neighbours of the adjacent houses have been injured too.

According to reports, the explosion took place in the illegal fireworks factory early in the morning today. The explosion was so strong that a wall of the house collapsed and the houses nearby also got damaged. Soon after the explosion, people gathered at the site on hearings screams. On receiving the information of the blast, vehicles of fire brigade reached at the spot to extinguish the fire. However, the fire had engulfed the nearby houses till the time fire brigade reached. It took three hours for the team of fire brigade to extinguish the fire.

Javed, his wife Anwari, his mother Fatima and his daughter Nazia lost their lives in the blast, as per the Amar Ujala report. Among the injured are Azad, Ramsajanm Neha Priyanka, Chandan, Sahin, Sama, Chandani and Afsana. SP Vinod Kumar and SP Ayodhya Prasad Singh reached at the site to take stock of situation.

Explosion in illegal firecracker factory in Meerut

Last month, a local Congress leader named Asim Khan had died in an explosion in an illegal firecracker factory being run his house in Sardhana, Meerut. The blast that took place around 9 in the morning was so strong that his double storey house came crashing down and nearby houses were also jolted by the blast which left the walls and roofs of many houses damaged. A rescue team reached on the spot and rescued the people buried under the debris. The injured were taken to hospital. Two deaths were confirmed in the blast.

“Aap penguin lagte hai toh log penguin hi kahenge”: Actor Kangana Ranaut lashes out at Maharashtra govt for brazen suppression of FoE

OpIndia Staff
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“Aap penguin lagte hai toh log penguin hi kahenge”: Actor Kangana Ranaut lashes out at Maharashtra govt for brazen suppression of FoE

Actor Kangana Ranaut today blasted out at the Maharashtra government for trampling upon the freedom of speech after Mumbai Police barged into the house of senior journalist Arnab Goswami and detained him in an abetment to suicide case. Taking a dig at Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, Kangana said, “What makes you so angry when people refer to you as penguin? You look like penguin so people call you that.”

In a video shared by Kangana this morning, the actor was seen in her car from where she shared her support and solidarity for Arnab Goswami. Lambasting the Maharashtra government, she referred to them as Sonia Sena and Pappu Sena for suppressing the dissenting voices.

“I want to ask the Maharashtra government that today, you barged into Arnab Goswami’s house, pulled him by his hair and assaulted him. How many houses will you level? How many throats will you choke? How many voices will you silence. If you will muzzle one voice, several others will grow. Sonia Sena, how many mouths will you gag? Before us, many martyrs’ throat were slit, they were hanged for their right to free speech,” Kangana said.

She further added, “Sonia Sena ko Sonia Sena kaho toh gussa kyu aata hai? Pappu sena kaho toh gussa kyu aata? Penguin kaho toh gussa kyu aata hai? Aap penguin jaise lagte ho toh penguin kahenge(What makes you angry when someone refers to you as Sonia Sena? What angers you when someone calls you Pappu Sena? Why are you so annoyed when people call you a penguin? You look like a penguin so people will call you that).”

The reference to penguin can be attributed to the recent clampdown of Freedom of Expression by the Mumbai Police. A social media user Sameet Thakkar was rearrested from a Nagpur court premises moments after he was granted bail. He was arrested by Mumbai VP road and transferred to Mumbai the same evening through Nagpur-Mumbai Duronto express. Thakkar was arrested because had made critical remarks of the Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and allegedly referred to his son, Aaditya Thackeray, as a penguin in his social media posts.

Arnab Goswami arrested by Alibaug Police

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, as per a report by Republic TV.

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.

“They beat my son. They did not allow to meet my in-laws”, Arnab Goswami informed the media through the van’s window after he was assaulted and picked him by Mumbai Police from his house in Mumbai.

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.

“Emergency in Maharashtra”: Support pours in for Republic chief Arnab Goswami as Mumbai Police assaults and arrests him

OpIndia Staff
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“Emergency in Maharashtra”: Support pours in for Republic chief Arnab Goswami as Mumbai Police assaults and arrests him

In what could be described an egregious display of brute force, Mumbai Police not only barged into the house of Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami but also roughed him up and his minor son, along with the other family members this morning. Goswami was subsequently arrested by the Mumbai Police.

Soon after his arrest, Arnab Goswami spoke to the media, condemning the actions of Mumbai Police. He 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.

The arrest of the journalist evoked a torrent of messages of support and solidarity from several prominent personalities who denounced the Mumbai Police’s action against the Republic TV Editor-in-chief and his family.

Union Ministers and other prominent personalities extend their support to Arnab Goswami

Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the arrest of Arnab Goswami, saying Congress and its allies have shamed the democracy yet again. He added that the misuse of power against the Republic TV and its Editor-in-Chief is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy. Shah said that the assault on Arnab reminded one of the Emergency days and the attack on the freedom of the press must be and will be opposed.

Cabinet Minister Smriti Irani also came out in support of senior journalist Arnab Goswami, saying those who don’t stand up in support of Arnab Goswami are tactically supporting fascism. Irani tweeted that one may not like Arnab, perhaps despise his very existence but one’s silence means his/her support to suppression.

Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the silence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the reprehensible attack on freedom of the press in Maharashtra. Prasad added that while the mother-son duo were increasingly vocal levelling allegations against PM Modi, when their own government is blatantly suppressing the freedom of press, their silence demonstrates their hypocrisy.

The chief minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, reacted to the development by condemning the assault on the senior journalist Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police as a “black day of Indian democracy”. He also asked for an immediate release of Mr Goswami and urged to end the vendetta politics and restoration of freedom of the press in Maharashtra.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar condemned the assault against Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police. Taking to Twitter, Javadekar said that the attack on Arnab Goswami reminded him of the Emergency days when the press was repressed by the ruling Indira Gandhi’s regime.

BJP President JP Nadda said just like India didn’t forgive Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for Emergency and the assault on the freedom of speech, they will similarly punish Sonia-Rahul for their brazen attack on the freedom of the press to get equal with journalists.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju labelled the arrest of Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police as “fascist intolerance towards freedom of expression” and reminded that Indians will fight back against such kinds of draconian acts.

Popular actor Kangana Ranaut, who had herself been a victim of Maharashtra government’s vindictive politics, posted a video message on Twitter, expressing her solidarity with Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami.

“Maharashtra government today entered the house of Arnab Goswami, assaulted him, and arrested him. I want to ask them, how many voices will they suppress? How many houses will they level? How many people will they strangle? Why be angry when someone calls you a penguin? You look like a penguin so people call you that,” Kangana said.

Arnab Goswami at loggerheads with Mumbai Police

Arnab Goswami has been at loggerhead with the Mumbai Police ever since he had raised protruding questions of the Maharashtra government and interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her silence on the horrifying lynching of the Hindu Sadhus in Palghar. Since then, Arnab Goswami and his channel Republic TV have been the number one target of the Maharashtra government.

Arnab Goswami was put through a wringer by the Mumbai Police for his prime time show on the killings of Hindu Sadhus in Palghar. A case was also registered against Republic TV for its coverage of migrants crisis at the Bandra station on April 14-15. Republic TV journalist and cameraman were arrested by the Mumbai Police while covering a story in Navi Mumbai this September.

Another Republic TV journalist Pradeep Bhandari was harassed by a team of Mumbai Police personnel who encircled him and ultimately detained him illegally. A few weeks back, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh convened a press meeting, alleging that Republic TV had indulged in TRP manipulation. However, it was later revealed that the complaint of TRP manipulation case had the name of India Today channel and not Republic TV. Even witness in the case was coerced into taking Republic TV’s name. More recently, Singh attempted to tarnish Arnab Goswami’s image by calling him the “Mumbai’s biggest hawala operator”.

102 acre land at Kanjurmarg that Maharashtra govt unilaterally allotted for alternate metro shed after ‘saving Aarey’ might not even belong to them: Details

OpIndia Staff
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102 acre land at Kanjurmarg that Maharashtra govt unilaterally allotted for alternate metro shed after ‘saving Aarey’ might not even belong to them: Details

The Uncertainty over the construction of a car shed for the Line 3 of the Mumbai Metro continues. After the Uddhav Thackeray gov had scrapped the proposed car shed ad Aarey Milk Colony immediately after coming to power, the state govt allotted a plot at Kanjurmarg for the project last month. However, it has again hit a roadblock as the union govt asked the state govt to stop work at the site as the land was transferred to MMRDA illegally.

Maharashtra govt had transferred 102 acres of land at Kanjurmarg to the MMRDA, and the state govt is claiming that it owns the land hence it has the right to transfer the land for the metro car shed. But according to centre, that is not correct, as the land is actually owned by Salt Commissioner, which reports to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the union govt. Moreover, the land was transferred violating norms, as while the MMRDA had applied to DPIIT for allotment of the land, the state govt transferred it without waiting for a response by DPIIT.

There is a long standing dispute over the ownership of salt lands in Mumbai between state govt and the Salt Commissionerate. Plots used for salt cultivation in Mumbai were earmarked as salt pan lands after a settlement survey that was conducted before 1930. As per records available with the Union govt, there was 5,378 acre of salt pan in Mumbai which was allotted to various salt works under leases and licences in 13 revenue villages.

The dispute started in 1982, when the then additional Mumbai suburban collector had ruled that 29 such plots, totally 1,336 acre, vested in the state govt as the salt cultivation had ended on those plots. Since then, both sides are engaged in a legal dispute over ownership of those salt pans. In 2018, the then revenue minister Chandrakant Patil in the BJP govt had ruled in favour of the state govt vesting 2,978-acre of defunct salt pans in the state government. According to the centre, this was against the Maharashtra govt’s order in 1996 which had said that the salt pan land belongs to the Salt Commissioner.

A writ petition has been filed against the order issued by Patil on 22nd September this year, and the plea is pending in court. The Kanjurmarg plot is also included in the petition. Therefore, the ownership of the salt pans in Mumbai is under dispute, and the state govt can’t claim ownership on it till the legal dispute remains.

The Kanjurmarg plot acquired by the govt of India during the period 1906-1920, and it was given on lease for 99 years for manufacturing of salt. The lease expired in 2016, and it was not renewed after that. The former lease holder M/s Arthur Salt Works had filed a suit in the court, and obtained an order from the court which says that possession of the land remains with them. As the lease has expired on 24/10/2016, the union govt filed petition with the City Civil Court to dismiss the suit filed by the former Lessee and seeking to take possession of the land. Hearing in this petition has begun, but it is not over yet.

Therefore, there are multiple disputes over the plot which has been allotted for the construction of Metro car shed. First, there is a litigation between the company that had the lease for the plot for salt cultivation and the union govt. Second, there is a litigation between the state and central govts over all the salt pan land in Mumbai, including the said plot.

In the meanwhile, the MMRDA had filed a plea seeking to join the suit as an intervener, and sought around 40 Hectares of land on temporary basis for 5 years to be used as casting yard for construction of metro lines. This plea was dismissed by the court in March 2019.

The MMRDA had also applied to DPIIT for transfer of 43.76 Hectare of land at Kanjurmarg for construction of Metro Car Shed under Metro Line 6 project. Following this request, the DPIIT had directed Salt Commissioner in July 2020 to conduct a joint survey of the land with the MMRDA. However, the state govt went ahead and allotted the land to MMRDA, while the survey report is yet to be submitted with the DPIIT. The state govt had also opposed the joint survey, saying the land belongs to them.

Apart from the writ petition filed by the union govt against the state govt ordering that the salt pans belong to it, several other actions have been taken by the Salt Commission to claim the land. A Complaint has been filed at Kanjur Marg Police station against the construction activities on the land. The Commissionerate has also written to the Mumbai Suburban Collector, MMRDA and DMRCL against the same.

Therefore, as per records, the salt pans were acquired by the union govt of India during the period 1906 – 2020, and historically it owned the land. While the state govt has declared that it owns the land after the end of salt cultivation in several plots, the same has been contested by the union govt and the matter is in court now. Moreover, there is an additional dispute over the said plot between the former Lessee and the central govt.

In view of this, the union govt is of the opinion that the decision of the state govt to transfer the land to MMRDA was taken without taking necessary permission from the central govt, and without following proper procedure. The union govt has also said that the state govt decision has caused a severe loss to the DPIIT.

‘We already have won the elections,’ Donald Trump declares victory, will approach the Supreme Court to prevent ‘rigging’

OpIndia Staff
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‘We already have won the elections,’ Donald Trump declares victory, will approach the Supreme Court to prevent ‘rigging’

US President Donald Trump has declared victory in the US presidential elections with results yet to be called in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. Donald Trump has massive leads in all these states as of the time of writing this report barring the last two. He also announced that they will be approaching the Supreme Court in order to prevent election rigging by Democrats.

Donald Trump has considerable leads with significant portion of the votes already in as of the time of writing this report. However, the winner in these states will not be declared on election night. As it stands currently, Joe Biden has won 225 Electoral College votes while Donald Trump has won 213 with the results hinging on the states yet to be declared.

Joe Biden, meanwhile, has said in a statement earlier that Donald Trump should not be declaring the results of the elections hinting towards his desire to wait for all votes to be counted. Twitter censored the US President for accusing the Democrats of attempting to ‘steal the elections’. The winner of the elections will clearly not be declared

IDMA condemns the high-handedness of Maharashtra govt in arresting Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami, demands his immediate release

OpIndia Staff
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IDMA condemns the high-handedness of Maharashtra govt in arresting Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami, demands his immediate release

India’s largest digital news association – Indian Digital Media Association (IDMA) has condemned the state high-handedness of the Maharashtra government displayed against Republic TV and its chief Arnab Goswami.

On Wednesday, the IDMA issued a strong-worded statement condemning the assault and the arrest of the Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami in a 2018 suicide case and demanded the immediate release of the Republic TV chief.

In its statement, IDMA has strongly condemned the sudden arrest of the Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and added that it was shocked to learn about the arrests and the high-handedness shown by the Mumbai police. The IDMA also pointed out how Goswami and his family were assaulted and several vans were changed while forcibly taking him to the police station.

“Republic TV further says that the Mumbai Police had no arrest warrant or court order for the arrest of Arnab Goswami. From the visuals, it was evident that the police were forcing Mr Goswami’s wife and the executive was being asked to sign on some paper, the nature of which is not evident, the IDMA statement noted.

Further, IDMA said it strongly condemned the action of the Maharashtra government, that seems to be using its state machinery to silence a journalist and a channel that has on occasion criticised the government.

“This incident is not just limited to the stifling of the freedom of the press, but it is an infringement of personal freedom and liberty granted to every citizen of the country. When the people who are meant to protect citizens become the very people that citizens need protection from, the collective might of democracy needs to enforce itself to demand fairness,” the country’s first nationalistic digital media association.

It added, “The police is well within its right to constitute action against any party it thinks has erred, however, the process of the law has to be followed. This incident only appears to be a zenith in the witch-hunt that was launched by the government against Republic TV over the past few weeks.”

IDMA demands immediate release of Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami

The IDMA demanded that Arnab Goswami be released immediately and that the state government offers an explanation to the people of India, as to why a citizen’s rights are being stifled in the manner that it is.

“We, as a group representing digital news orgs are especially dismayed that if such high-handedness can be displayed towards a legacy media, smaller digital outfits could simply be crushed by the might of the state to ensure that dissenting voices are muzzled. However, such attempts will be opposed and fought by IDMA, for the sake of the right of the media, its right to be free and fair, and for the citizen’s civil liberties,” the statement added.

Republic TV is one of the founding members of IDMA, which is the country’s largest conglomeration of digital media platforms that puts the nation’s interest above everything else. The IDMA has a collective unique viewership of over a 100 million users.

Editors’ Guild of India issues statement

Following the arrest of Republic TV chief, the Editors’ Guild of India too issued a statement condemning his arrest.

The Editors’ Guild, in a muted response, urged Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure that he is treated fairly and state power is not used against critical reporting by the media.

It is pertinent to note that Arnab Goswami had resigned from the Editors Guild of India on live TV, over its diminishing credibility and abject silence. During the course of a debate on the lynching of two Sadhus and a driver in Palghar, he had slammed the President of the Guild, Shekhar Gupta, for destroying the remaining credibility of the organisation.

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.

In May 2018, an FIR was filed against Arnab Goswami after an interior designer had committed suicide in Mumbai. In a suicide note, Anvay Naik claimed Goswami owed him a total of Rs 5.4 crore. However, Goswami was investigated and case was closed by court after a closure report was filed by the Police.

“Vendetta politics exceeding all limits”: MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh condemns Mumbai Police assault on Arnab Goswami

OpIndia Staff
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“Vendetta politics exceeding all limits”: MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh condemns Mumbai Police assault on Arnab Goswami

Union Minister and MoS PMO Jitendra Singh has come out in support of Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, who was assaulted and dragged before being arrested by Mumbai police at 6:30 in the morning today. Denouncing Mumbai Police’s brazen attempt to strike on press freedom, Singh questioned whether we were returning to an age of fascism and dictatorship in the garb of democracy? Singh said that the Maharashtra Government, under whose leadership the Mumbai Police had taken this unworthy step, should release Arnab Goswami immediately. That is the minimum Uddhav Thackeray government could do to vindicate the freedom of the press, opined Singh.

The Union Minister Tweeted: “Are we returning to an age of fascism and dictatorship in the garb of democracy? Vendetta politics exceeding all limits.Absolutely no ground to arrest #ArnabGoswami. Minimum that the Maharashtra Govt can do to vindicate the freedom of press is to release him immediately. @Republic

Mumbai Police arrests Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami in a 2018 closed case

In a brazen display of high-handedness, Mumbai Police, at the behest of the Uddhav Thackeray government, barged into the residence of Arnab Goswami on Wednesday morning, physically assaulted him and dragged him into a police van and took him to the Raigad police station. It is said that the Mumbai police team armed with assault weapons such as AK-47, led by encounter specialist Sachin Vaze, barged into Arnab’s house, without any summons, documents or court papers and arrested the journalist. The Mumbai Police team also blocked Republic Media Network’s reporters from entering Arnab’s residence and have sealed all entry and exit points.

Arnab Goswami was arrested in a 2018 abetment to suicide case that has been closed and that has nothing to do with the TRP case in which there has been an attempt to implicate Republic TV.

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.

Since the Mumbai police have feloniously arrested Republic TV editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, support has been pouring in for him from all quarters for the latter.

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