The Indian opposition alliance, INDIA, released Thursday a list of 14 TV anchors it said it will now boycott, accusing them of conducting “hate-filled” news debates in an unprecedented move that has been criticized as anti-democratic and a threat to Press freedom.
The opposition alliance, which is in power in 11 states, said it will not send its representatives on shows featuring Aman Chopra, Amish Devgan and Anand Narasimhan of News 18; Chitra Tripathi and Sudhir Chaudhary of Aaj Tak; Gaurav Sawant and Shiv Aroor of India Today; Prachi Parashar of India TV; Arnab Goswami of Republic Bharat; Rubika Liyaquat of Bharat 24; Navika Kumar and Sushant Sinha of Times Now Navbharat; Aditi Tyagi of Bharat Express; and Ashok Shrivastav of DD News, the Indian Express reported.
The list comes a day after the coordination committee of the 26 party-bloc held its first meeting and released a joint statement. In the statement, the committee authorized its media group to decide on the names of the anchors on whose shows none of the INDIA parties will send their representatives.
Defending the decision, Congress media department chairman Pawan Khera said, “Every day at 5 pm, a market of hatred is put up on some channels. It has been happening for the last nine years. The spokespersons of different parties go to those markets, some experts go, some analysts go… but we all go as customers of that market of hatred.”
“We have taken the decision with a heavy heart. We are not opposed to any of these anchors. We do not hate any of these anchors. But we love our country more… that is why we wanted to take all steps possible from our side to shut these shops of hatred… that is why the constituents of the INDIA alliance decided that we will not go to these markets of hatred as customers,” he said.
“We do not want to legitimize this hate-filled narrative which is corroding our society… if you spread hatred in the society which takes even the shape of violence… we will not be a part of it,” Khera said.
The News Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA) on Thursday expressed concern over the decision of the INDIA bloc to not send their representatives to the shows and events hosted by 14 journalists and news anchors, according to India Today.
“The decision taken by the INDIA Media Committee sets a dangerous precedent,” NBDA said in a statement. The association said that the ban “goes against the ethos of democracy” and is a sign of “intolerance”.
BJP president J P Nadda accused the INDIA alliance of “making lists in true Nazi style of who to target” and argued “the Emergency era mindset is alive among these parties.”
