The INDIA alliance partners have decided to boycott 14 news anchors from mainstream TV news channels. “We cannot be seen as legitamising their agenda,” says Pawan Khera, Chairman of All India Congress Committee’s Media and Publicity wing. Speaking to TNM, Khera says that the anchors they have decided to boycott are the ones, “who through their shows and through their tweets, spread polarising and communal narratives”.
Pawan Khera insists that this is not a hit on freedom of media or freedom of speech. “We are not undermining their right to do what they have to do but it’s our duty to not be a part of any narrative that weakens the country. The idea is to not be a party to any such move which weakens India's social fabric. We cannot be seen as legitamising that kind of narrative,” says the Congress leader. He goes on to add that the decision to boycott the anchors was taken collectively along with other party members in the alliance.
Among the list of anchors that the representatives of INDIA will not be appearing for debates with are: Aman Chopra, Amish Devgan and Anand Narasimhan of News 18, Aditi Tyagi of Bharat Express, Sudhir Chaudhary and Chitra Tripathi of Aaj Tak, Navika Kumar of Times Now, Arnab Goswami of Republic Bharat, Gaurav Sawant and Shiv Aroor of India Today, Rubika Liyaquat of Bharat24 and Prachi Parashar of India TV. The regional alliance partners will decide separately if they wish to boycott regional TV anchors, Khera added.
Though the media committee of the INDIA alliance discussed names of more anchors, they finally decided to go ahead with these 14 names. “It will be revised when needed,” DMK leader Kanimozhi said. According to sources, the alliance had initially decided to boycott only 11 anchors. The names of Amish Devgan, Arnab Goswami and Navika Kumar were not on the list. Arnab and Navika's names were excluded from the list as the parties haven't been sending representatives to their shows for a while now. Amish's name was initially excluded since he is close to two senior Congress leaders.
When asked whether there are concerns that the Opposition’s perspective will be left unheard in these debates, Khera said that the alliance will try to get their voices heard through others who are doing good journalism in the country. “Of course, this means our own work increases and we have to amplify our voices through other platforms,” he tells TNM. Khera aso emphasised that they will ask their supporters and sympathisers as well to stay away from the debates moderated by the said anchors.
Reacting to the opposition’s call for boycott, Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Choudhary said, “INDIA alliance has released the list of those journalists who refused to become 'Charan Chumbak'. Now they will be boycotted. Now it remains to be seen what answer the Indian media gives to this”.