INDIA bloc decides to boycott shows of 14 news anchors; list released

One of the key decisions taken during the coordination committee meeting of the Oppostion-led INDIA bloc to bar their representatives to attend television shows moderated by specific news anchors. The authorised sub-committee on media has came up with a list of news anchors.

“The coordination committee authorised the sub-group on media to decide upon the names of the anchors on whose shows none of the INDIA parties will send their representatives,” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said after the meeting on Wednesday.

The list, shared by several member parties of INDIA coalition, contains the names of Republic Network’s Arnab Goswami, Aaj Tak’s Sudhir Chaudhary, News18 Hindi’s Amish Devgan, TimesNow’s Navika Kumar, IndiaToday Group’s Gaurav Sawant among 14 news anchors.

The INDIA bloc aims to sway public opinion, which is believed to be captured by BJP through mainstream media houses. The Oppositon parties have been dependent on social media and independent journalists to achieve this bid and amplify their message.

“There are some anchors who conduct provocative debates. We’ll make a list of them and INDIA alliance partners will stop going to their shows” AAP MP Raghav Chadha said earlier.

The coordination committee meeting also discussed on matters related to seat sharing in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, forming state-level committees to discuss with INDIA parties in states. 12 member parties present at the meeting also decided to hold the coalition’s first public meeting in Bhopal.

Ahead of the meeting, the BJP triggered a row over the Opposition’s agenda to hold congregations, alleging that they get together to discuss on ‘aboloshing Hinduism’.

“The INDIA alliance meeting is taking place to abolish Hindus, which is evident from what a Tamil Nadu minister had said,” Union minister Giriraj Singh told reporters referring to DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s recent remarks on Sanatan Dharma.