Mumbai: Republic TV on Sunday said it will not succumb to any efforts to curtail editorial freedom, after its CEO and COO were questioned by Mumbai police in connection with a TRP manipulation investigation.

The two senior Republic officials appeared before the Mumbai police on Sunday for questioning in the Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation racket, an official said.

“If there is an attempt to use state machinery to scrutinise the sources of an independent media network and bring back an Emergency-style editorial control into the media, we will stand strongly against it,” Republic TV said.

Police had issued summons to Republic TV’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vikas Khanchandani and two Chief Operating Officers (COO) for questioning in the case.

Khanchandani and COO Harsh Bhandari, who appeared before the police on Sunday, were questioned for nine and five hours respectively, police said.

Police also recorded the statement of Ghanshyam Singh, a senior member of Republic TV’s distribution team. In a statement, Republic Media Network said it won’t “give in to any endeavours” to curtail editorial freedom.

“Today our CEO, COO and a senior member of our Distribution team were questioned by the Mumbai Police for 20 hours in all. We are shocked to learn that in the course of questioning the Republic Media Networks CEO Vikas Khanchandani, Mumbai Police made multiple attempts to probe in detail as to how the Network accessed the Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd. (Hansa) complaint.

“Specific, repeated and detailed questioning went on about how Republic accessed the Hansa complaint report which blew the lid off the lies peddled against Republic Media Network,” the statement said.

“As everyone is aware, the Hansa complaint report made multiple mentions of India Today without a single reference to Republic TV, Republic Bharat or any affiliate of the Republic Media Network. The report which was bereft of any mention of Republic was the very basis of the FIR, and was put into the public domain by Republic on 10 October, 2020,” it said.

“We believe that the very fact that the Mumbai Police was continually probing for Republic Media Networks editorial sources stands in complete breach of the freedom of the press in India. We believe that it is inappropriate to probe any media organisation for its sources.

Republic TV claimed that Mumbai police repeatedly asked the CEO how, when and from where the Network accessed the Hansa complaint report and that he informed police that it is an editorial matter.

“Republic stands against any strong arm tactics to try and access the sources of an independent media. We consider the attempt to probe for Republics sources a serious infringement and utter violation of the right to report in a country with a free media,” the statement said.

“Republic Media Network reiterates that, at any cost, we will not disclose our sources to the Mumbai Police, or anyone, and will protect our democratic right as journalists.

Republic will go through endless hours of questioning, but will not reveal its sources in order to uphold our journalistic rights.

“If the Mumbai Police is uncomfortable with the fact that the Hansa complaint report is now in the public domain and, with it, crumbles the false narrative that was built against Republic, that does not give them the right to infringe upon the freedom of the press. We will protect our sources based on principle and editorial integrity, no matter what,” it said.

“What is happening in Maharashtra and in Mumbai specifically today is a shocking case, before the world, of the state trying to muzzle a free press. It is in complete contravention of the Constitutional right of a free press under Article 19 (1)(a) and serves as a terrible blot on the tenets of our great democracy.

Republic alleged that Mumbai police seem to be turning the freedom of the press “in this great democracy upside down and we stand firmly against any such attempts.”

“The Republic Media Network will not give in to any endeavours to curtail editorial freedom, no matter who and how hard the attempt is on the other side,” the statement said.

Four persons, including owners of two Marathi channels, have been arrested in connection with the case so far, police said.

Republic TV’s Chief Finance Officer Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram and Singh earlier chose not to appear before police, saying the TV channel has approached Supreme Court for relief.

Two employees of Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi channels were also summoned by the crime branch of Mumbai police. Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had claimed that Republic TV and the two Marathi channels had manipulated TRPs.

The TRP racket was unearthed after a police complaint by Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd, the agency contracted by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to place audience meters to monitor TV channels watched by households. 

He also condemned the BJP’s ‘attempt to give a communal colour’ to a land dispute between two families, which led to the death of the priest.

JAIPUR:Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday directed officials to get the killing of a temple priest in Karauli district probed by the CID-CB.

He also condemned the BJP’s “attempt to give a communal colour” to a land dispute between two families, which led to the death of the priest.

“It is condemnable that the BJP gave a communal colour to the tragic incident between the Meena and Vaishnav communities of a land dispute case between two families in Bikna village of Sapotara.

This has undermined the image of Rajasthan unnecessarily,” Gehlot said in a statement.

He said the priest’s death was not the result of a caste conflict, neither a pre-planned incident.

The dispute between the two families over taking the possession of a piece of land resulted in the tragic incident.

On October 6, a day before the incident, the panchayat had agreed in favour of priest Babu Lal Vaishnav, in which a majority of people of the Meena community were present.

Directions have been issued to get the case investigated by the CID-CB.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Sharma has been assigned the task, the statement said.

Gehlot said the Congress government has always been striving to give protection to priests and the land that comes under various temples.

A second arrest was made on Sunday in connection with the Karauli incident where a priest died after allegedly being set afire by landgrabbers.

Police arrested Dilkhush alias Dillu in the priest murder case, Hindaun Deputy Superintendent of Police Kishori Lal Mehrania said.

On Saturday, accused Kailash Meena was taken into custody.

He said that both the accused were arrested under IPC Section 302 (murder).

Meanwhile, Controversial BJP leader Kapil Mishra met the family members of the victim at Bukana village and offered them Rs 25 lakh as assistance collected from the public.

Mishra, who has been mired in a controversy over his speeches made in the days before the Northeast Delhi riots in February, consoled the family members of priest Babu Lal Vaishnav and promised them all possible help.

“It is a very painful incident, and I feel that no one should see such kind of suffering,” Mishra told the reporters after meeting the priest’s family. He said Rs 25 lakh would be transferred to the account of the priest’s kin.

“We will not only give financial help to the family but have also given a promise to hold their hand and make them stand on their feet again so that they can move forward,” the former AAP MLA said.

Vaishnav was attacked on Wednesday and died at the SMS Hospital a day later.

It is alleged that five people, who were trying to occupy cultivated land near the temple, set him ablaze after spraying petrol.

The priest was cremated on Saturday after his family relented following an assurance from the administration on their demands.

Aparajita would soon get admission to the Bengaluru-based National Law School of Indian University.

PATNA: While the Corona-induced lockdown brought a plethora of problems for others, it proved to be a boon for 18-year-old Aprajita. 

While being confined to home, Aparajita, a native of Ara district of Bihar, utilized the time to prepare for the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT)-2020 for the UG course and became the national topper by scoring 127.25 out of total 147 marks.

Earlier this year, she had cleared her class 12 exam (Arts) with 93.25% marks from Patna’s prestigious Notre Dame Academy. 

“I used the six months of lockdown period as an opportunity for preparing for the CLAT. I went through almost all the study materials by devoting 12 to 14 hours every day. And finally, thank God, hard labour paid dividends”, Aprajita, the daughter of an East Central Railway employee SK Upadhayay, said.

“I think India needs a good number of women lawyers. I want to become a lawyer and fight for the rights of the poor and women”, she said, adding more girls should opt for law and civil services in order to be empowered. 

Aparajita would soon get admission to the Bengaluru-based National Law School of Indian University.

‘I want to assure the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances,’ said Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.

GHAZIABAD: On the occasion of Indian Air Force Day, 2020 Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on Thursday assured the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard India’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances.

“I want to assure the nation that the Indian Air Force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard our nation’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances,” said Bhadauria at Hindon airbase.

“As we enter the 89th year, the IAF is undergoing a transformational change. We are entering an era which will redefine where we employ aerospace power and conduct integrated multi-domain operations,” he added.

Bhadauria further stated that this year has indeed been an unprecedented one. As COVID-19 spread across the globe, our nation’s response was firm.

“The tenacity and resolve of our air warriors ensured that IAF continued to retain its capability to undertake full-scale operations throughout this period,” said IAF Chief.

“I commend all air warriors for quick response in the recent standoff on the northern frontiers when we deployed our combat assets at short notice to handle any eventuality and provided proactive support to all requirements of deployment and sustenance for Indian Army,” he added.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Mukund Naravane and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh attended the 88th Indian Air Force Day celebrations at Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad.

Bhadauria inspected the 88th Indian Air Force Day parade here.

Nishan Toli being led by Squadron Leader Shivangi Rajawat marched at the Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad on the occasion.

Two Chinook helicopters also took part in the flypast to mark

The BJP had a better strike rate than the JD(U) in the 2010 polls, the last assembly election they fought together before parting ways in 2013 for four years.

NEW DELHI: With the BJP and the JD(U) contesting nearly equal number of seats in the Bihar assembly polls, the saffron party is looking at the prospect of emerging as the ‘big brother’ in their about 25-year-old alliance, except for a break-up in between, a scenario that can rearrange the power equation in the state.

The BJP had a better strike rate than the JD(U) in the 2010 polls, the last assembly election they fought together before parting ways in 2013 for four years, when it won 91 of 102 seats against the JD(U)’s 115 of 141 seats in the polls to the 243-seat assembly.

As the saffron party’s organisation is considered stronger and its poll machinery much more formidable compared to the JD(U) or any other party in the state, there is a view that it can reap a better political harvest than the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led party, if conditions favour the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The decision of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party to contest against the JD(U) while speaking favourably of the BJP has added a twist.

JD (U) spokesperson K C Tyagi, however, refuted any such suggestion and said the joint press conference by his party’s leaders and the BJP in Patna on Tuesday has finished off all “disinformation” campaign.

“Top leaders of the BJP have again reiterated that the NDA in Bihar means the acceptance of Nitish Kumar’s leadership. The polls will be fought under him and he will become chief minister again irrespective of how many seats a party wins,” he said.

Targeting the LJP, he said if a party “misuses” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures, then the NDA alliance will ask the Election Commission to take action.

“The NDA will win with three/fourth seats,” he asserted.

Tyagi’s remarks came amid LJP president Chirag Paswan’s fulsome praise for the BJP and Modi, and his assertion that his party will seek votes to strengthen the prime minister’s leadership.

Paswan has claimed in a tweet that the BJP and the LJP will form the next government in Bihar and that it will probe “corruption” during Kumar’s government and send accused behind bars.

The BJP on its part is backing to the hilt Kumar as the alliance’s leader in the state but has acknowledged that the LJP as an ally at the Centre.

The view that the LJP may make the upcoming electoral battle difficult for the JD(U) was enforced on Tuesday again as senior Bihar BJP leader Rajendra Singh joined Paswan’s party after the seat he wanted to contest from fell in the quota of Kumar’s party.

Ending days of intense speculation, the NDA on Tuesday announced its seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly polls under which JD(U) will contest on 122 seats and the BJP on 121 out of a total of 243 seats.

In the outgoing assembly, the RJD was the largest party with 73 MLAs followed by the JD(U) with 69 MLAs, BJP (54) and the Congress (23).

Kumar has called the shots in running the government in Bihar and in setting the alliance’s agenda, with the BJP mostly playing the second fiddle.

He may return at the helm for one more time but he may no longer have the same authority, political watchers believe.