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After Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami claimed that he and his wife were attacked late last night, “Two people have been arrested for attacking Arnab Goswami and his wife. The FIR has been registered at the NM Joshi Marg Police station under Sections 341 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code,” deputy commissioner of police, zone 3, Avinash Kumar said.
The attacks were made as alleged by Arnab by the Congress as he lashed out interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Expectedly, Arnab who toes the government line on several issues and uses Republic TV as propaganda machine to lash out opposition found swift support from the government .
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said to ANI, We condemn the attempt to attack Arnab Goswami. We condemn every attack on any journalist. This is against democracy and it is really ironical that those who preach tolerance have become so intolerant. Therefore we condemn this attempt.
Sambit Patra, BJP party spokesperson and a a regular on Republic TV Prime Time show – Arnab Debates , tweeted his instant support,
I condemn the violent attack on Mr Arnab Goswami & His Wife in Mumbai!
This is not how street thuggery can take over Freedom of Expression.
Maharashtra Government needs to seriously look into this.
The perpetrators should not go unpunished!— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) April 22, 2020
This is not first time BJP and the government have come out in support of Arnab Goswami, it may be recalled that Comedian Kunal Kamra was banned by several airlines after reportedly heckled Arnab during one of the flights.
Earlier, Goswami in his complaint to the police has alleged that he and his wife were attacked by Youth Congress workers when they were driving back home from the Republic TV headquarters in Worli.
“At around 12:15 am, when we reached Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, two men on a bike followed our car and tried to overtake it. These two men first tried to identify who was driving the car. They stretched out their arms, pointed their fingers at me and then blocked the path of my car with their two-wheeler,” he said in the complaint.
“The pillion rider hit the right side driver window several times and then, these attackers realised that the car window was up and they couldn’t break through and immediately the pillion rider removed a bottle from his pocket and threw liquid all over the car on the driver’s side of the car where I was sitting. All through, both were shouting and abusing in Hindi while making violent gestures,” read the complaint.
