NEW DELHI: Arnab Goswami‘s news channel Republic TV has landed in a fresh controversy after two of its female journos, Nalini Sharma and Sumaira Khan allegedly termed the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) a ‘university of terrorists’ on Tuesday, 12 February.
According to The Quint, the journalists were present there to cover an event entered the campus without any permission and making objectionable comment on the varsity.
This led to an altercation between reporter of Republic TV with the students of AMU prompting the local police to intervene.
Sharjeel Usmani, a local student leader, alleged on Facebook that the Republic representatives had, on air, said that they were reporting from “the university of terrorists”.
“Arnab’s Republic TV in AMU was reporting live that ‘we’re standing in the university of terrorists’. Students tried to intervene and the reporters started abusing the students. One of the cameramen manhandled with the students, calling us all terrorist. I tried intervening and he attacked me with his pen. Students have shown them their way out of the varsity campus. ‘We are not going to be intimidated by terrorist’, is what their reporter said.”
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Following the incident, adequate security forces have been deployed in the campus, told Aligarh SP (city) Ashutosh Dwivedi to ANI news agency.
“Union in Aligarh Muslim University wanted to organise an event where Muslim political organisations will come on one stage. Their rival group opposed this, stating that if a known figure, who happens to be an MP and holds other posts, comes they will protest,” he said.
“In the light of this, two separate complaints were filed and adequate security forces have been deployed in the campus. The invitees have freedom of expression, but if they say something which falls in the category of treason or creates rifts in communities, necessary action will be taken,” he added.