Yesterday, a man opened fire at a group of students outside the Jamia Millia Islamia University. The man who has been identified as Rambhakt Gopal allegedly shouted, “Yeh lo Azadi” at the protesters.
Among all the reports doing rounds on different TV channels, the one by Republic TV is being criticised by people for blatantly misleading viewers.
Reports on the Republic TV suggested that the firing was done by one of anti-CAA protesters.
The channel’s political editor and anchor even went on to suggest the shooter was encouraged by Aam Aadmi Party and Rahul Gandhi.
The screenshots from the channel shared in this thread by a Twitter user shows how the channel covered the story.
Republic TV is trying very hard to blame the violence on the students of Jamia. pic.twitter.com/UyFbYL7SDK
— Vasundhara Singh Sirnate (@vsirnate) January 30, 2020
They’re spinning the narrative where they want to say that Jamia or someone from it was involved in the shooting. pic.twitter.com/2vnpXubPO1
— Vasundhara Singh Sirnate (@vsirnate) January 30, 2020
They don’t identify the gun wielding man. The reporter stumbles and hesitates over his name. pic.twitter.com/1SWMgRTdQn
— Vasundhara Singh Sirnate (@vsirnate) January 30, 2020
They say “end the provocation“? What provocation? By who?
— Vasundhara Singh Sirnate (@vsirnate) January 30, 2020
Again they are suggesting that someone was responsible for this. And they want the audience to guess. pic.twitter.com/kRvYew4ULM
Then they get their ask on the headline. “Vacate Shaheen Bagh” pic.twitter.com/GPTkPaPqB7
— Vasundhara Singh Sirnate (@vsirnate) January 30, 2020
Later in the night, the channel’s managing director and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami apologised for their mistake on TV and said they had no wrong intentions behind this.
When initial news of shots fired at Jamia came in, there were incorrect reports on the identity of the gunman as one of the protesters. This was immediately corrected by Republic TV when reports confirmed his name was Gopal Sharma. This was clarified by the channel on-air as well pic.twitter.com/obRlUXPkbo
— Republic (@republic) January 30, 2020
This however, did not stop netizens from calling out the channel and its editor Arnab Goswami for their misleading coverage.
Shameless Republic TV. pic.twitter.com/VKRiE4QdFM
— naresh fernandes (@tajmahalfoxtrot) January 30, 2020
Shameless channel is shameless. Didn’t do ANY research before they started to put blame on everyone except the Govt and Delhi Police.
— Meghnad (@Memeghnad) January 30, 2020
Rambhakt Gopal’s FB profile was open for everyone to see and the arrest video showed him screaming out his own name. 😒https://t.co/TDaG59CCLc
Republic TV is nothing more than India’s Rwanda Radio RTLM (Radio Télévision Libre des Milles Collines) that distorted events to push for genocide.
— Doctor Roshan R 🌍 (@pythoroshan) January 30, 2020
To actually claim the gun shooter at #Jamia is a protestor even after hearing his screams clearly shows that Arnab is pushing a lie. pic.twitter.com/t1fUWj6tqd
Republic TV initially called the shooter as anti CAA Protestor and asked Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal to answer.
— Nirmala Tai Halwe wali (@Vishj05) January 30, 2020
They have now deleted the tweet and taken down the story but haven’t yet asked questions to Delhi Police and Amit Shah.#ShameOnRepublicTV
Please understand that Republic TV is not a news channel. Its purpose, from the day it launched, has been–like Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines in 1990s Rwanda–to aid & abet government-approved policies & atrocities with spin, propaganda, and incitement.
— Mitali Saran (@mitalisaran) January 30, 2020
A random man (who claimed to be a certain ‘Rambhakt Gopal’ and shouted “kisko chahiye azaadi, main dunga azaadi”) opens fire on Jamia students. A Kashmiri student got hit by a bullet. And then Republic TV, headed by fascist Arnab Goswami says “Jamia protester uses gun”.
— stand with Shaheen Bagh ✊🏾 (@porcoofine) January 30, 2020
30th January, 2020. This is the day. After this date, if you still continue to work at Republic TV, you are complicit in spreading the poison in the country. If getting a pay cheque at the end of the month is the compulsion, reach out. You will get a Job you can do with dignity
— Joy (@Joydas) January 30, 2020
Isn’t there any law on Fucking media for spreading fucking Fake news?
— Jinxie- (@Jinxie_Al) January 30, 2020
Please Retweet this. Hope someone knows 🤬
Fuck you Republic TV pic.twitter.com/TfIus4072s
Republic TV has clearly made a statement today. It stands with “Godse” of current India.
— Nihal Kirnalli (@NihalKirnalli) January 30, 2020
What action will be taken against Republic for spreading fake news and venom? #RepublicTvIsWithGodse pic.twitter.com/fm5TB6jCGJ
Not just fanning hate & bile, outright misreporting too. This channel claims to be the most successful. Why? Cos hate & voyeurism gets eyeballs & eyeballs get advertisers. But when the public pays the public is served. #PayToKeepNewsFreehttps://t.co/GSydBKQC11 pic.twitter.com/9sngH5vCzW
— Abhinandan Sekhri (@AbhinandanSekhr) January 30, 2020
How dare you republic tv to show all this fuck.#republictviswithgodse pic.twitter.com/3yGN1F9XXh
— Yashasvi Chaudhary (@Yashu_tweets) January 30, 2020
I still don’t know why so many people watch such a sick Republic TV. It has quite a good viewership. #BanRepublicTv pic.twitter.com/i939VSqRJ2
— sandesh indavara | ಸಂದೇಶ (@sandesh_ic) January 30, 2020
From blaming anti-CAA protesters to calling the act provocative, Republic TV’s false reporting has raised several questions on media coverage.
