Following the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement on Thursday, February 28 to release captured Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as a gesture of peace, the conduct of some major Indian news channels — calling it a ‘diplomatic victory for India’, tripping over each other to ascribe the release to Indian leadership — has come under fire for being irresponsible vis-a-vis Varthaman’s safety, who is still in Pakistan’s custody.
Pratik Sinha, founder of fact-checking website Alt News, posted pictures, from TV news Channels India Today, Time Now, NewsX and CNN-News18, which credit the release entirely to India. Some of these channels went as far as to juxtapose Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures.
Times Now even flashed the words “Imran’s Naya Pak Surrenders” while showing the Pak PM’s announcement.
Sab TV channels waale seem to get their weed from the same source. pic.twitter.com/QcUUvhagT3
— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) February 28, 2019
It is noteworthy that since Varthaman’s capture on Wednesday, the PM has not mentioned the pilot once in his dozen public appearances. Even as reports of his capture flooded in, the Prime Minister continued attending PR events and Home Minister Rajnath Singh flew off to address a BJP rally in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
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Former diplomat and India’s ambassador to the United States, Nirupama Menon Rao said that such “churlishness” will not work and jeopardises Varthaman.
Yes. The churlishness I see on some media channels will not work for our good and it jeopardises #Abhinandan. How stupid can we get. Immature small minds. https://t.co/stImgTYoOD
— Nirupama Menon Rao 🇮🇳 (@NMenonRao) February 28, 2019
She appealed to media channels to not endanger the IAF pilot’s safety, pointing out that “Pakistani psychology regarding India is extremely complex.”
Pakistani psychology regarding India is extremely complex. Please do not jeopardise #Abhinandan https://t.co/I7fwJOr4uj
— Nirupama Menon Rao 🇮🇳 (@NMenonRao) February 28, 2019
Vikram Chandra, founder of Editorji, a news media platform, also pointed out the problematic coverage by news channels.
I think it is time to show some grace. Whatever the rationale, this was a good step by the Pakistani Prime Minister, and we should acknowledge that. Otherwise we sound churlish in the eyes of the world. https://t.co/HuWTerpaih
— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) February 28, 2019
Mahindra Group Chairman, Anand Mahindra, responded to a tweet by Republic TV (widely considered the BJP government’s mouthpiece) which stated that Pakistan had announced the release “giving in to pressure” and asked users to tweet to celebrate “India’s massive victory”.
Mahindra reminded the channel’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami the need for exercising restraint and that the prime objective at the moment was to allow Abhinandan to come home safely.
I rarely comment on media postures. But the prime objective now is to allow our soldier to come home safely. This is not the time to jeopardise that event with such calls for celebration… Arnab, please, we must exercise restraint… https://t.co/kXgX65XcQP
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 28, 2019
Media houses have come under fire for their unverified reporting of the recent happenings, however, this is a new low for channels who routinely evoke Indian soldiers in order to target their own political opponents.
“In our desire of peace, I announce that tomorrow, and as a first step to open negotiations, Pakistan will be releasing the India Air Force Officer in our custody,” Khan had declared.
Pakistan detained Varthaman on Wednesday following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control in which a Pakistani jet was downed. IAF also lost a MiG-21 bison in the engagement.
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