You may hate or love him, but you can’t ignore Arnab Goswami, the editor-in-chief of Republic TV, the favourite child of controversy.
Arnab Goswami was arrested on Wednesday by the Raigad police in connection with an old suicide case. He was investigated for reportedly abetting a 53-year-old interior designer’s suicide. Goswami was identified in his suicide note by Anvay Naik, an architect and interior designer, and had
ZeeNews confirmed that a police officer said an architect and his mother committed suicide in 2018 over Republic TV’s supposed inability to pay dues. On Wednesday night, the senior journalist was sent into 14-day judicial custody by the Alibaug court.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Arnab was condemned by many BJP leaders and Union ministers as a reminder of the emergency. For Arnab Goswami, landing in disputes is not new. In fact, there are many unknown facts about Arnab that many individuals might not be aware of.
Here is a list of six fascinating facts the nation needs to know about this fierce journalist:
1. He Was Accused Of Faking A Car Attack
Rajdeep Sardesai wrote in 2017: ‘Wow! My friend Arnab says his car was targeted in the Guj riots next to CM Res! The truth: Ahmedabad was not covering up the riots!! “He also tweeted:” Fekugiri has its limits, but I feel sorry for my career when I see this.
In his book 2014: The Election That Changed India, the incident was actually mentioned by Sardesai. “The gang was not willing to listen,” he wrote. (We don’t worry about the chief minister. Show your identification cards.)’ Hamein chief minister se matlab nahi, aap log apna identity dikha.’ I presented my official press card and got my cameraman, Narendra, to play a clip from the Modi interview. ‘Look,’ I screamed, ‘look at the interview here. Can’t you see that we’re reporters? They seemed to calm down a bit after fifteen tense minutes and after watching the tape, and we were eventually allowed to go.
Siraj, our trembling driver, was in tears. My own fear of an experience of near-death has now been replaced by a seething rage. If, on the night of 2 March, Hindu militant gangs were freely roaming only a few kilometres from the chief minister’s house, then how could the chief minister say that the situation was under control? We were unnerved and shaken visibly. For days after that, visions of those crazed faces and their shining arms plagued me.
2. His Wife Is Also A Journalist
Another journalist and news producer, Samyabrata Ray Goswami, Arnab’s wife, is currently the editor and co-owner of Arnab’s channel.
She started her career as a journalist for print media and has worked for many publications, including Anand Bazaar Patrika, Tehelka, and Down to Earth. She worked with ABP until Republic TV was launched by Arnab.
She is also known for breaking the news that Indrani Mukerjea ‘s daughter, and not her sister, is Sheena Bora.
3. He Has ‘Y’ Category Security
The ‘Y’ group security of Arnab requires round-the-clock protection for close proximity protection from about 11 staff and 1 or 2 armed commandos.
4. His First Interview Was With Sonia Gandhi
As a journalist, Arnab’s first-ever interview was with Sonia Gandhi, the president of Congress.
It was this interview that won him accolades for putting in an interview with the otherwise reticent Sonia Gandhi.
“Nevertheless, when asked about the one individual he tried to interview but failed so far, he said,” As a young reporter, I was able to get an interview with Sonia Gandhi on the Palam Airport tarmac. In the years after that, some brief encounters. But I’d really like the chance to have a sit-down interview with her.
5. Debating Was His Passion Right From School
Arnab, known for his aggressive anchoring style, revealed in an interview that debating was his hobby at school.
I used to have really calm, quiet discussions in the studio before … so I really missed the debate. Later, when I got the opportunity to start my own new channel, I really got back to my old habits. And for the past 7-8 years, my hobby, my college debating hobby, has been my profession. And on a regular basis, I have never enjoyed myself more,’ he told a radio station.
6. He Loves Bollywood & Occasional Reading
He stated in one of his earlier interviews with Scroll.in that, besides news, he loves Bollywood.
“He said,” Bollywood, I love it. I watched Tanu Weds Manu Returns and loved it. I’ve been researching, but not as much as I should have. Fiction isn’t my cup of tea, actually. I am lapping up Coomi Kapoor’s Emergency Book at the moment.
7. He Hails From A Political Family
Manoranjan Goswami, Arnab’s father, is a retired Indian Army officer and a BJP member from Guwahati, who was a BJP candidate in the general election.
Rajani Kanta Goswami, his paternal grandfather, was an advocate and the chief of Congress. For several years in Assam, his maternal grandfather, Gauri Sankar Bhattacharya, was a communist and an opposition leader.
He said, however, on being asked about his political leanings, “I never describe myself in terms because that is very hard to do.” The reason why I’m telling you this is because I’m very progressive socially. I’m for citizenship for LGBT people, etc. I’m very conservative on issues related to India. I’m for the free market on matters relating to the economy. On religion-related topics, I go to all places of worship myself, so I am genuinely secular in that context. I’m not an AAPtard, Congi or Sanghi; I’m not an AAPtard, Congi or Sanghi. I’m Arnab. I don’t want to waste my time trying to define myself.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the charges of abetment to suicide, the arrest of Arnab also falls in the centre of the line of Republic TV with the Mumbai Police over its investigation into a ratings racket and allegations that Republic TV is among the three channels involved in manipulating TRPs or Television Rating Points by bribing households met for viewers.
The arrest of Arnab Goswami was part of a broader vindictive exercise against an independent journalist and news network, “Republic TV recently said in a statement.”
