BJP ministers condemn Arnab Goswami’s arrest

Guwahati, Nov 4: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar while condemning the arrest of Republic TV’s Editor-In- Chief, Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police this morning said, “the arrest reminds us of the Emergency.”

"We condemn the attack on press freedom in Maharashtra. This is not the way to treat the Press. This reminds us of the emergency days when the press was treated like this," Prakash Javadekar tweeted in reaction to reports about Arnab Goswami's arrest.

Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar said Mr Goswami's arrest has "shades of the Emergency".
“Shades of the Emergency!
The arrest of Arnab Goswami is an attack on the freedom of press. Those who really believe in this freedom must speak up!” tweeted Dr. S. Jaishankar.

“Those in the free press who don’t stand up today in support of Arnab, you are now tactically in support of fascism. You may not like him, you may not approve of him, you may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression. Who speaks if you are next?” tweeted Union Minister Smriti Irani.

A senior Cabinet Minister of Assam and BJP leader, Dr Himanta Bishwa Sarma condemning the arrest of Arnab Goswami tweeted, “Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami physically assaulted & arrested by Mumbai police is nothing but muzzling freedom of press by the vindictive M'rashtra govt. Strongly condemn this shameless politically motivated Mumbai police action. It's like Emergency days in Maharashtra.”

The Republic Editor-in-Chief has been arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer, Anvay Naik, and his mother, in 2018.

The architect had reportedly named Arnab Goswami in a suicide note and alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV. In May, Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had announced that the suicide of architect Anvay Naik was being reinvestigated after a fresh complaint by Adnya Naik, his daughter.

Mr Deshmukh had said Adnya alleged that the Alibaug police had not investigated Republic's role in the non-payment of dues, which, she claimed, drove her father and grandmother to suicide in May 2018.