New Delhi: The INDIA alliance, including Congress leader Pawan Khera, has announced its decision to boycott 14 news anchors from mainstream TV news channels.
"We cannot be seen as legitimising their agenda. They are the ones who through their shows and through their tweets, spread polarising and communal narrative," said Chairman of All India Congress Committee’s Media and Publicity wing Pawan Khera.
Khera said the move is not an attack on freedom of the media or freedom of speech. Instead, it aims to avoid being part of narratives that promote polarisation and communalism, thereby weakening the country's social fabric. He clarified that they are not undermining the anchors' right to express themselves but are refusing to participate in narratives that could harm India's unity, reported The News Minute.
The decision to boycott these anchors was made collectively with other alliance members.
The anchors being boycotted include 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.
Regional alliance partners will decide separately whether to boycott regional TV anchors.
The INDIA alliance's media committee initially discussed more anchor names but decided to proceed with these 14. DMK leader Kanimozhi said that the list could be revised as needed.
Initially, Amish Devgan, Arnab Goswami, and Navika Kumar were not on the list, as representatives from the parties had already stopped appearing on their shows. Amish's name was initially excluded due to his association with two senior Congress leaders.
Regarding concerns about the Opposition's perspective being unheard in these debates, Khera stated that the alliance would try to convey its views through other journalists committed to ethical journalism. Khera also emphasised that they would encourage their supporters and sympathisers to avoid participating in debates moderated by these anchors.
Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Choudhary responded to the opposition's call for a boycott, stating, "INDIA alliance has released the list of those journalists who refused to become 'Charan Chumbak' [sycophants]. Now they will be boycotted. Now it remains to be seen what answer the Indian media gives to this."