New Delhi, 17th January: Indian firebrand anchor Arnab Goswami is in hot waters after the revelations made on Balakot incident.
Baaghi TV: Arnab Goswami, the senior officer of India’s Republic TV is facing renewed criticism after his WhatsApp chats regarding the Balakot attack by India on Pakistan got leaked.
According to reports, controversial chats of Goswami with former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta surfaced on media.
As per reports, in one of the conversations with Dasgupta, Goswami hinted at something big to happen just three days before India’s failed attack on Balakot in 2019.
A news report published in The Hindu revealed, “At 10 pm on February 23, three days before the Balakot strike, the conversation begins with [Mr] Goswami boasting about Republic TV bagging then Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s first-ever interview after the Pulwama incident.”
During the chat, Goswami texted Dasgupta: “On another note, something big will happen”. To which the BRC CEO asked, “Dawood?”
Goswami responded, “No sir Pakistan. Something major will be done this time.”
Referring to the extra votes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would get after instigating antagonism against Pakistan in 2019 elections, Dasgupta remarked, “It’s good for the big man in this season and that he will sweep polls then.”
Asking for further clarity, Dasgupta asked, “Strike? Or bigger”, to which Goswami reportedly responded, “it would be bigger than a normal strike”.
He added, “And also at the same time something major on Kashmir … The government is confident of striking in a way that people will be elated. Exact words used.”
Right after the bombshell of news exploded all over social media, ‘ArnabExposed’ and ‘WhatsAppLeaks’ started trending on Twitter.
Political and media personalities from Pakistan were enraged at the entire episode.
Pakistan’s federal minister for science and technology, Fawad Hussain Chaudhry wrote:
Arnab Goswami WhatsApp chat: Three days before Balakot strike, he said ‘something big will happen’….. clearly a nexus btw #Modi and #Pulwama for election he killed own people…. disgusting https://t.co/sXOulfQOEM
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) January 16, 2021
SAPM Sayed Zulfi Bukhari expressed:
Arnab Goswami’s exposed chats are everything PMIK’s been saying about Modi’s maddness.
Pulwama was a stupid attempt to gain election victory with zero concern for his people’s lives.
This man is a danger for the world, @UN must take it up immediately & do a fair inquiry. pic.twitter.com/offqZ6dakk— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) January 16, 2021
Journalists and anchors got angered too and wrote:
These are the leading newspapers of #India. There is not even a single news about the biggest scandal of Indian security leaks. The #ArnabGoswami leaks scandal shows the Saffronization of India media. A vicious nexus certainly#WhatsAppLeaks #ArnabGoswamiExposed pic.twitter.com/lTN8CT4wTA
— Makhdoom Shahab-ud-Din (@ShahabSpeaks) January 17, 2021
Are Pakistani news channels even covering Arnab Goswami's crazy chats? Shouldn't they be all over this? Imagine if it had been even an innocuous conversation between a Pakistani anchor & a military professional, what would have been the reaction on the other side?
— Mahwash Ajaz 🇵🇰 (@mahwashajaz_) January 16, 2021
Prashant Bhushan, a lawyer and an activist from India wrote on his Twitter handle:
These are a few snapshots of the damning leaked WhatsApp chats between BARC CEO & #ArnabGoswami. They show many conspiracies&unprecedented access to power in this govt; gross abuse of his media&his position as power broker. In any Rule of law country, he would be in jail for long pic.twitter.com/6aGOR6BRQJ
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 15, 2021
Famous Indian writer, Atul Khatri shared:
https://twitter.com/one_by_two/status/1350001113995599878?s=20
While trolls had their share of fun:
https://twitter.com/CC2h5oh/status/1350506567490183168?s=20
A short story of #ArnabGate 😂#WhatsAppLeaks
*See full image* pic.twitter.com/CxvPPu9TJY— Gabbar🇮🇳 Parody (@Gabbar_Guddu) January 16, 2021
It is to be noted that on February 26 last year, Indian fighter jets had entered into Pakistan territory with the intention of bombing a madrassah in Balakot but had to retreat immediately after the prompt response from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
The Indian jets dropped their payload in the Pakistani territory near the old madrassah but failed to wreak any damage.
Pakistan responded to the provocation the next day by sending fighter jets across the Line of Control (LOC). They returned after issuing warning shots to the Indian military troops. In response, the Indian forces shot down one of their own helicopters, killing all troops on board.
When India sent its fighter jets again to chase the Pakistani jets down, the Pakistan Air Force launched a successful surprise attack, took down two Indian fighter aircraft and Indian Air Force pilot, Wg Cmdr Abhinandan Varthaman as a prisoner.
As a gesture of peace which was acclaimed widely, the Wing Commander was released and returned home to India.
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