Editors From India

"The residents of Mehrgarh who raised the first mud-brick homes of two or three rooms may not have realized it then, but they were laying the foundation for the first efflorescence of civilization in South Asia, called the Harappan Civilization, or the Indus Valley Civilization. It took about 4500 years or over 150 generations, for those humble mud-brick abodes to turn into the urban structures of a Harappa or a Mohenjo-daro or a Dholavira and there must have been many twists and turns along the way. But once agriculture took root, and modern humans started creating a surplus that they could save and invest, the wheels of history started spinning fast - which would, of course, lead to the invention of the wheel itself!"

"“I was following all the rules according to the law while I was sitting in protest over here. There was no crowd with me. We were just three people sitting here. I am not protesting against the police. This government is scared. How many voices can they (govt) suppress?… After Arnab Goswami gets bail from the High Court, I will return to the Assembly and will distribute sweets to all those ministers who were laughing after the arrest of Arnab.”"

"My security guard held those people and their bike. They reach my building’s parking lot and I asked them (security guards) who were these people. They told me that they were Congress workers, Youth Congress workers, who had said that they have been sent to attack me and they said they were given instructions by ‘higher ups’ to attack me, to teach me a lesson. So, I just want to tell you Sonia Gandhi that you are the biggest coward in this country right now. You, Sonia Gandhi tried to carry out an attack on me when I was driving back from work... You know the questions I have asked you are absolutely appropriate... You have no guts to face me. I will hold you responsible for any consequence that will happen to me... If anything ever happens to me, it is Sonia Gandhi and Vadra family, who cannot take my questions, [who] are responsible."

"If this had happened in a state run by BJP, and, instead of Hindus, and let me be very direct about it, they were from any minority community, would [actor] Nasseeruddin Shah, Aparna Sen, [historian] Ramchandra Guha, [editor] Siddharth Varadarajan, and the award vapsi gang, would they have gone berserk today?"

"Whatever has been remaining of the credibility of the Editors' Guild of India has been destroyed by the abject silence on a series of fake news. It has become a self-serving organisation. I have been a member of the Editors' Guild for a long time. I, hereby, resign for absolute compromise of editorial ethics."

"In India, being a Hindu and wearing the orange colour has become a sin. I ask that if a maulvi had been killed, would people be silent? Would Sonia Gandhi, who hails from Italy, be quiet? Today, she is silent..."

"I am sorry Sonia Gandhi, but here I am, back on air. You carried out a little Italian mafia-style operation, remember?...Your Congress workers tailed my car after midnight yesterday. They identified me, then they blocked my car 300 metres from my house, they tried to break in. They threw bottles and liquid. They got caught. The visual evidence is all there. The FIR copies are there for you to read... You failed Sonia, like you always do. You are a failure. You failed at elections. You failed to cover-up your scams. You failed to prop-up your tin-pot dynasty. And do you remember Sonia that scary tale? That those who dare to take you on do not survive to tell the tale? Figuratively or otherwise? Even that does not scare anyone any more.... When there should be FIRs against you, Sonia, for your absolute lack of accountability and political ethics. So, who the hell do you think you are Sonia, you are nothing but a crumbling symbol of entitlement. And that too, without any popular base. So please throw your 10 Janpath circus tricks elsewhere. You failed in your attack on me last night."

"You are furious Sonia that I.... exposed the state complicity in the killing of Hindu Sadhus in a state that you run. ... I am sorry Sonia, but who the hell you are? You have organised a ‘Lynchistan’ campaign in my country, every time an incident happens. Now you are angry when I ask you why you won’t apply the same logic, or some of that degree of outrage when Hindu monks are dragged and handed over, yes, handed over to over a 100-strong crazy mob ready to lynch them, and by whom Sonia? By your men in uniform.... Why are you so touchy and silent over the brutality inflicted over Hindu monks? What is your problem with Hinduism? Why do you talk about ‘Hindu terrorism and Hindu Taliban’? What do you gain by such terrible stereotypes? What are you hiding?"

"Congress leaders have been intimidating me and threatening me with physical violence. I am deeply grateful that the Supreme Court has noted the violence against me and my wife."

"A little more than 24 hours ago, in moments that I will never forget, I came out after 8 days in custody in jail. I was in 2 jails - First the Alibag district jail and then in Taloja Central Jail. And today I want to tell you-- my dear viewers-- that the days in jail have been the most meaningful days of my life. And let me tell you why these have been the most meaningful days of my life: They have because the struggle in these past days was real, but I have realized that the opportunity to struggle for the truth is the greatest honor that I have ever received. That’s what’s made these days so meaningful,"

"I was sitting there in a prison cell with this TV far away from me but I could listen to the people who were demanding my release, people who were on the streets, people with their protests for justice, people standing outside the gates of Taloja jail, people signing petitions for me, people submitting memorandums, priests conducting prayers at places of worship. I was hearing that some people had come out of the jail with food for me, as my other inmates at Taloja jail told me based on what was being shown on that tiny TV. I want to tell you tonight- my dear viewers - that in my entire life I have never felt stronger,"

"We are stronger than before, we are fiercer than before, and remember, the game has just begun. You can't stop Republic. Republic won't stop. Republic is unstoppable."

"Why would I leave it. Because I was not comfortable. Because I realized the time has come where I could not take instructions... I could no longer be free... I was not absolutely free."

"I think it is a matter of pride for all journalists that a fellow journalist today runs, manages, anchors and owns the largest news organization in the country."

"These media channels are responsible for the riots which you Nupur are now investigating. And in my book doing a riot and supporting a riot are the same thing."

"These people formed cabals.. When I was fighting corruption you all went to the Information and Broadcasting minister... [he told me] in the meeting the biggest point of conversation is you because the minister is shouting at us why the media is putting pressure on us.. [he told] it is the boy in Mumbai who is doing all of this, shall we Mr Minister bring you his head on a plate? ... these are the spineless editors of Lutyens whose problem is now that more people are watching Republic. Well they will because all of you cheated and lied to the people of India for far too long!"

"Their subjective opinion... is based on bias, prejudice, jealousy and hatred... They are hypocrites all of them... they can't even look at me in the eye."

"These people are very slippery characters... It is not about an ideology, it is about self-preseravation and self-interest.. The system of favours has gone, Nupur... Access, privilege, the ability for editors and chief owners to walk in, recommend people, come in to talk about politics but quietly bring an industrialist... This regime has not allowed them. So, money is not coming, access is not coming, privilege is not coming."

"For a journalist to be free he has to run and own and manage a news organization."

"Understand, your castles are burnt. Your fortress has been broken into... you are over, history... This country has rejected you. Because you lied. And this country will not follow your lying anymore. ... There has been a tectonic shift in the thinking in this country."

"Bloomsbury should apologize to the people of India. And Bloomsbury should not be allowed to publish or distribute their books in India. because if we are the largest democracy then why did pull back the Delhi Riots 2020 book? Why? ... If there is an expose on the Delhi Riots ...then it is something that should be known. ... I see absolutely no reason to withdraw the book. It is an excuse... We must speak truth on it, and if we have Freedom of Expression in this country,... This is a complete attack on the Freedom of Expression. So we must bring this book on the shelves and if Bloomsbury does not bring this book back on the shelves then Bloomsbury should leave India. .. The next cabal we have to break is the cabal of these publishers."

"Your narrative building failed, it was part of a narrative they have carefully constructed."

"It was so well planned, It was the last straw for them, that the verdict of the supreme court on Ayodhya happened, that they could put no false charges against the chief justice, that the lobby failed in court and there was no violence... that life was normal. Shaheen Bagh was a response to the peace after Ayodhya."

"Bengaluru riots: the pattern was the same, only here the mask of the protest was gone off."

"To the Lutyens media: You have been defeated by the people. You don't matter."

"Congress is known for stifling democracy. It did so in 1975 while imposing an Emergency on the country. And you may have witnessed today, for its own agenda, Congress has arrested one of the biggest journalists of India and assaulted the fourth pillar of democracy."

"Congress and its allies have shamed democracy once again. Blatant misuse of state power against Republic TV & Arnab Goswami is an attack on individual freedom and the 4th pillar of democracy. It reminds us of the Emergency. This attack on free press must be and WILL BE OPPOSED."

"Those in the free press who don’t stand up today in support of Arnab, you are now tactically in support of fascism. You may not like him, you may not approve of him,you may despise his very existence but if you stay silent you support suppression. Who speaks if you are next ?"

"Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have openly attacked @narendramodi. Govt through motivated charges of attack on institutions yet they are completely silent when their own Govt in Maharashtra is blatantly suppressing freedom of Press. Textbook case of hypocrisy!"

"A Black Day for Indian demoracy. I strongly condemn the assault on senior journalist #ArnabGoswami by Mumbai police. Vendetta politics should be stopped and freedom of press should be maintained in Maharashtra by releasing Mr Goswami immediately."

"We condemn the attack on press freedom in #Maharashtra. This is not the way to treat the Press. This reminds us of the emergency days when the press was treated like this."

"India didn’t forgive Indira Gandhi for the Emergency. India never forgave Rajiv Gandhi for his assault on press freedom. And now, India will again punish Sonia-Rahul Gandhi for their brazen and intimidating use of state power to get equal with journalists."

"How can you false arrest someone just because you don't like him? Remember, Indians will fight back against this kind of draconian act. I condemn the forceful arrest of Journalist #ArnabGoswami This is fascist intolerance towards freedom of expression."

"Maharashtra government today entered the house of Arnab Goswami, assaulted him, and arrested him. I want to ask them, how many voices will they suppress? How many houses will they level? How many people will they strangle? Why be angry when someone calls you a penguin? You look like a penguin so people call you that."

"“This incident is not just limited to the stifling of the freedom of the press, but it is an infringement of personal freedom and liberty granted to every citizen of the country. When the people who are meant to protect citizens become the very people that citizens need protection from, the collective might of democracy needs to enforce itself to demand fairness,” the country’s first nationalistic digital media association. “The police is well within its right to constitute action against any party it thinks has erred, however, the process of the law has to be followed. This incident only appears to be a zenith in the witch-hunt that was launched by the government against Republic TV over the past few weeks.” “We, as a group representing digital news orgs are especially dismayed that if such high-handedness can be displayed towards a legacy media, smaller digital outfits could simply be crushed by the might of the state to ensure that dissenting voices are muzzled. However, such attempts will be opposed and fought by IDMA, for the sake of the right of the media, its right to be free and fair, and for the citizen’s civil liberties,” the statement added."

"Are we returning to an age of facism and dictatorship in the garb of democracy? Vendetta politics exceeding all limits.Absolutely no ground to arrest #ArnabGoswami.Minimum that the Maharashtra Govt can do to vindicate the freedom of press is to release him immediately."

"BJYM condemns #ArnabGoswami's arrest & this attack on freedom of press. Request every young Mumbaikar who value our constitutional freedoms to join BJYM protest against this fascist action."

"I don’t think that this arrest will either frighten or silence Arnab Goswami. It will enhance his appeal and make the Shiv Sena and Congress appear ridiculous."

"As it is not only written by a woman but by a woman who was born into the same community as mine, I intend to edit and publish it in a proper form."

"I cannot let this book go no matter how many times I read it...it is as adorable as Lord Krishna."

"Perhaps the concept of shame applies to only women but not men. Maybe because she was a ‘prostitute’ she was able to write crude depictions of sex without shame. In that case, it surely must not suit the supposed learned men to depict conjugal pleasures in the same way?. (as a sarcastic retort to criticism of the original work and her 1910 edition containing sexual/erotic passages, believed to being unsuitable for women)"

"Here is an illustrative example of how every word that Modi uttered following the Godhra incident was twisted and distorted by the well-oiled misinformation machinery set up by the Congress and the Left. One of the early charges against Modi was that when post-Godhra riots broke out, he justified and legitimised violence against Muslims thus proving his complicity. This mischief started with an incomplete statement telecast on Zee TV based on an interview conducted by Zee correspondent Sudhir Chaudhary. Modi’s exact words were: “Kriya pratikriya ki chain chal rahi hai. Hum chahte hain ki na kriya ho aur na pratikriya.” (A chain of action-reaction is going on. We want that there should be neither ‘action’ nor ‘reaction’). But Zee TV deliberately left out the second sentence and presented the mischievously clipped first half of the statement to build a case that Modi had justified the post-Godhra riots as a legitimate reaction of Hindus against the killings of karsevaks at Godhra.... When Chaudhary questioned the CM about the Gulberg Society massacre in which the former Congress MP, Ehsan Jafri, was killed along with more than 50 others, the chief minister in his reply referred to the reports that Jafri had first fired at the violent mob, which apparently infuriated the crowd further. Thereafter, the mob stormed the Gulberg Society and set it on fire. According to Chaudhary, Narendra Modi referred to Jafri’s firing as “action” and the massacre that followed as “reaction”.... However, he could not provide a satisfactory explanation why in the Zee TV telecast, the last line—“Hum chahte hai ki na kriya ho aur na pratikriya”—was deliberately omitted. ..."

"“people of all political parties who were anti-Modi and anti-BJP were taking advantage of his inexperience.”"

"After meeting Mr Modi, I was moved by his sincerity. I found him to be fair and sincere in terms of his intention to end the riots. He seemed worried and sad because his police had failed him in ending this violence; he wanted me to take whatever steps I deemed fit to end this violence and assured me whole-hearted support... I realised that people of all political parties, who were anti-Modi and anti-BJP, were taking advantage of this mayhem and making all efforts to defame Modi one way or the other."

"Later, years later, a famous editor who regularly took tea with Sonia and who became a close confidante of her daughter Priyanka had a story to tell. We were having coffee together in the coffee shop of the Oberoi in Mumbai and I, as always, looked up to the eighteenth floor and paid silent tribute to those who were lined up against a wall and shot dead by the Pakistani jihadi terrorist, Fazlullah, on 26/11. And I was thinking of those who were killed in this coffee shop that same horrible night, when the editor said something that brought me instantly back into the present moment. This was not long after Tarun Tejpal was jailed for the alleged attempted rape of a friend of his daughter’s in a lift in the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Goa. We were talking about how astounding it was that he had made so much money from a magazine that barely sold a few thousand copies. ‘The money didn’t come from journalism,’ the editor said. ‘I am sure not,’ I said. ‘Well, let’s just say that Tarun Tejpal had good reasons to be very, very close to 10 Janpath.’ In my head it was as if the pieces of a puzzle started to come together. I met Tarun through Vidia and Nadira Naipaul. Although he was always charming and friendly when we met, there was something about him that kept me from sharing their admiration of him. And I had always been sceptical whether his sting operations were sting operations or exercises in entrapment. His most famous sting operation was conducted in the third year of Vajpayee’s government, and it so discredited Vajpayee that it turned his government into a lame duck. The two people caught on hidden cameras accepting money from fake arms dealers were the BJP president, Bangaru Laxman, and Jaya Jaitley, who had long been the closest aide of George Fernandes. George had to resign as defence minister and the scandal never died. But because I saw it more as entrapment than journalism I began to follow other Tehelka exposés closely and noticed that they seemed always to expose Sonia Gandhi’s opponents."

"He does not seem to have understood the gravity of the offence. India's elite lauded the amendments to the IPC, widening the definition of rape, little realizing that they did not apply simply to lower-class men, but could affect them too. While there has been much clamour for the death penalty in cases of rape involving the lower classes, would the elite now like to apply this to themselves?"

"During investigations, the SIT sent formal requisitions to Zee TV to make available a copy of the CD of the television interview of Narendra Modi conducted by Sudhir Chaudhary on March 1, 2002. Despite two reminders and a notice u/s 91 Cr.P.C. sent to Zee TV, the CD was not made available to the SIT. Sudhir Chaudhary said in his testimony to the SIT that the chief minister was of the view that he wanted neither action nor reaction. But this admission, coming years later, was not telecast and propagated the way the mischievous half-statement had been. What is worse, Sudhir Chaudhary continues to reiterate even today that Modi had justified the 2002 riots. ...Since the newspapers and TV channel that misquoted Modi refused to rectify their mistake, the mischievous misquote acquired a life of its own and has been continually used as part of a smear campaign even after the SIT established that there was deliberate distortion by the media in this matter. Even today, the website of Teesta Setalvad’s Communalism Combat carries the allegation."

"Zionists today not only control the entire world finance and media but the entire Government of the United States of America. Nothing can happen in the world without the sanction of the zionist leadership."

"Nobody has done greater service to the Aryan Brahmins of India than Max Muller."

"Some European scholars who called Max Muller a racist are not far wrong."