Republic Network’s Hindi news channel R. Bharat’s coverage of the terrorist attack foiled in Kashmir and locust attack in Pakistan left the public in splits twice in a week.
In its latest controversial prime time debate on May 28, the channel’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami invited a panel from India and Pakistan to debate about the Pulwama-like tragedy that was averted in Kashmir on Thursday, May 28.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said that the security forces in Kashmir foiled a car bombing ‘similar to 2019 Pulwama attack’ by intercepting a vehicle carrying at least 40 kg of explosives in the same district.
Debating on this, Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, chairman of the All-India Anti-Terrorist Front and Engineer Iftikhar Chaudhry, Deputy Secretary Information, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) indulged in a ‘prop war’ using bows and arrows. The channel showed a mock-fight between the two while they claimed to analyse the Pulwama incident.
After the absurd debate’s video went viral, Twitteratis called it the ‘lowest level of journalism on national TV’, while others termed it as a fresh version of ‘Cartoon Network’ and ‘TikTok’.
The film ‘Border’ remake in Covid era. pic.twitter.com/sO7eYqPRA6
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 (@RoflGandhi_) May 28, 2020
WTF.. Is this a News Channel?? #Arnabgoswami #republictv pic.twitter.com/7JspBqFBln
— Rahul Bhardwaj (@_rahulism_) May 28, 2020
Something as sensitive as national security was replaced by baseless theatrics which attracted massive criticism as Twitter was flooded with hashtags like #RepublicTV and #ArnabGoswami.
When #RepublicTV becomes cartoon network! Poochta hai Bharat with joker Arnab. #Arnab pic.twitter.com/PgDcmrkq3z
— Nimbu Chai (@nimbuchai) May 28, 2020
Is this journalism or someone trying to make tik-tok videos.Arnab Goswami should be ashamed , if calls himself journalist after broadcasting these stupid things !!#Republictv pic.twitter.com/b0SZT8gh66
— Boring… (@graphicalcomic) May 28, 2020
In another bizarre debate on May 27, the Hindi TV channel went to accuse Pakistan of plotting an attack on India by sending in locusts.
‘We foiled another attack that Pakistan planned to execute against India,’ anchor Arnab Goswami said. ‘Why do these locust biryani-eating Pakistanis not understand?’
क्या टिड्डी खाने वाला इमरान खान, अब पूरे पाकिस्तान को बारूद खिलाना चाहता है? देखिए ‘पूछता है भारत’ अर्नब के साथ रिपब्लिक भारत पर LIVE : https://t.co/G945HvRmSx pic.twitter.com/n2WPfJLOtF
— रिपब्लिक.भारत (@Republic_Bharat) May 28, 2020
These videos come at a time when the nation is fighting a deadly pandemic, witnessing a massive migrant exodus and the national economy going through the worst slowdown.
Amid all this, the channel decides to come up with its own conspiracy theories on locust and dramatize issue pertaining to national security with the help of ‘halfwitted experts’.
From mock fights to accusing a nation of sending ‘locust terrorist’ across the border, the news channel hits a new low each day.
Also Read: Maharashtra Govt Asks CID To Re-Investigate Abetment To Suicide Case Against Arnab Goswami
