Mevani’s move
There is nothing wrong in Jignesh Mevani asking the Republic TV reporter to be removed from his press conference (“Should Republic TV be supported by fellow journalists? Chennai incident sparks debate”). I used to wonder why Arnab Goswami and his channel are going soft on the ruling party. I learnt only today that the channel is partly owned by a BJP backed MP. Obviously Goswami and his team will go extra mile to blacken the Opposition to appease their masters. Goswami has lost whatever respect I had for him and his style of reporting. In fact I would suggest to all Opposition party leaders to boycott his channel and refuse to participate in his debates. – PVV Raghavan
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The question of solidarity is not about quid-pro-quo. The novice Mewani wanted to address a press conference. He had no right to dictate who should be present and who can ask questions. For that, he is free to open his own news channel and give his views on every subject. – VV Rao
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Arnab Goswami is an insult to journalism. He is a demagogue, not a journalist in any sense of the word. He thinks shouting is journalism. He should be boycotted. – Rajesh Vyas
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Jignesh Mevani should behave first.The language he uses is unbecoming of a politician. He is a first-time MLA who won piggybacking on the Congress. He has to build a following brick by brick. – Gopalakrishnan
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Chennai journalists have shown their maturity. They should not take the help of the politicians to resolve their issues with Republic TV. They can do that at a professional level. – Ashim Halder
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It is very unbecoming of you to drive a wedge in the journalist fraternity. Are you a media house or political representative?
You may be dead against Arnab Goswami but that hatred should not surmount the unity in the journalist fraternity. Kill the other guy should not be the motto of journalists. And that Goswami may not go out of his way to support a brother journalist does not make it okay to break the backbone of fourth pillar. – Pralhad
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This question is superfluous. Mevani’s demand was dictatorial. A press conference cannot be selective. Media also cannot be selective in their support. – Suresh Hattangadi
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Shame on the journalists who suddenly found a spine, that too in support of Republic and Arnab Goswami, who regularly rains insults on them.Why didn’t they stand up for their right to free speech when Goswami insulted them!
Shame on them for not supporting a man who has the guts to stand up against the State and who won a victory against it in a fair election. Has the media buckled down because it is afraid to go against the state, in name of press freedom? – Bharati Shroff
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Freedom of expression has been granted not only to Jignesh Mevani but to everybody. Journalism is a professional. Professionals are to be respected. – Jayaraman KB
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Arnab Goswami’s arrogant style provokes even the audience. If journalists support him, it implies that they will stand by him no matter how he behaves. This will only encourage his arrogance and bring down the standards of jounalism. Is Goswami a journalist or a dictator? He is doing a disservice to journalism. – Ibrahim Khaleel
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Jignesh Mevani did the right thing. He wanted to address journalists and Republic TV has nothing to do with journalism. It is the propaganda channel of a party. This was an unnecessary show of solidarity and a false sense of sanctity for their profession. Would they have boycotted the press conference if it was Narendra Modi and not Jignesh Mevani? – Dipak Dholakia
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Should Republic TV be supported ? Mewani was reportedly funded during the Gujarat Election by the radical Popular Front of India. Republic TV has exposed Mewani and his unparliamentary language against the prime minister. He did not want a Republic TV reporter at his press briefing. Republic TV’s viewer-share is highest for English TV news. Boycotting Republic TV is like denouncing the Indian public, who love the channel for its honest and fearless reporting. – Sandeep Nath
