Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (SHP)
Mumbai, Apr 23: Republic TV founder and editor Arnab Goswami and his wife were reportedly attacked late Wednesday night by two unknown people while they were driving home from their studios. Fortunately, Goswami and his wife were unhurt in the attack.
The attack reportedly took place around 12:15 am. The Republic TV chief has already registered a case in this matter. In his complaint, Goswami said, “Two men on a motorcycle overtook my car and tried to identify who was driving. They then blocked the path of my car with their two-wheeler. The pillion rider hit the right side driver window several times and after realising that the car windows were up, the pillion rider removed a liquid bottle from his pocket and threw liquid on the driver’s side of the car where I was sitting."
Following the assault, Goswami called the Congress president Sonia Gandhi a 'coward' for the alleged planned attack. "They had tailed me and they were given information by higher-ups to attack me. I want to tell you Sonia Gandhi, you are the biggest coward in the country right now. You have no guts to face me and I will hold you personally responsible. If anything were to happen to me, Sonia Gandhi will be responsible," he said.
The Republic TV chief asserted that the accused men were arrested by Mumbai Police protection team.
On Wednesday, Congress leaders had opposed Goswami of giving a communal angle to Maharashtra’s Palghar incident. Congress leader Nitin Raut also lodged a complaint against him in Nagpur on Wednesday. “It is an attempt to give religious colour to the incident by the media. Goswami is one of them. We have decided to request the CM to take action against him,” Raut said.
An FIR was also filed against Goswami in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur following the several accusations by Congress workers.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar condemned the attempt to attack Goswami. “This is against democracy and, ironically, those who preach tolerance have become so intolerant. Therefore we condemn this attempt,” Javadekar said.
Meanwhile, BJP president JP Nadda called the attack on Arnab Goswami shocking, something occurring right after Congress leaders 'publicly threatened him'.
“Sad to see such public hounding of a journalist for his freedom of speech. Congress shows it is the party that brought Emergency and continues its rich tradition of trampling free speech,” Nadda said.