BJP ministers, leaders in Karnataka condemn Arnab Goswami’s arrest

PTI, Nov 4, 2020, 6:28 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka ministers and BJP leaders on Wednesday condemned the arrest of Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami by the Mumbai Police, terming it as a “glaring misuse of state power” which reminds of the Emergency.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan likened the arrest to Emergency and said the arrest reeks of vendetta.

“The arrest of #ArnabGoswami is reprehensible and stinks of the nasty vendetta that flows in the DNA of @INCIndia! This glaring misuse of state power to curtail the free press is a grim reminder of the Emergency. We should stand united and speak up to oppose this vile attack,” he added.

Goswami was arrested in Mumbai for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer, a Mumbai Police official said.

BJP national general secretary and tourism minister CT Ravi tweeted: “Dear Lutyens Media, The Nation wants to know, are you with Nationalist #ArnabGoswami or Fascist Sonia Gandhi?”

Another BJP national secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh too condemned the arrest, saying it was an assault on the Freedom of Expression (FOE).

The senior BJP functionary claimed Mumbai Police fed terrorist Ajmal Kasab with Biryani but assaulted media persons who question them on Palghar Sadhu Lynching and Sushant Singh Rajput death cases.

Calling upon people to stand up for the cause of Freedom of Expression, Santhosh said it reminded of Emergency.

“Media houses, editors & reporters organisations who keep silent today are in a sense tactically supporting MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) Govt & Police highhandedness. You will repent for a long time if you don’t condemn this act unsparingly,” the BJP leader cautioned.