New Delhi: The INDIA bloc’s decision to draw up a list of 14 news anchors on whose TV shows their representatives will not participate has ignited a debate on free speech with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) invoking the Emergency and accusing the opposition alliance of “gagging the media for speaking the truth”.

On Thursday, September 14, the INDIA alliance released a list of 14 news anchors and said that their representatives will not be sent to their respective shows and events.

The list named Aditi Tyagi (Bharat Express), Aman Chopra (News18 India), Amish Devgan (News18 India), Anand Narasimhan (CNN News 18), Arnab Goswami (Republic TV), Ashok Shrivastav (DD News), Chitra Tripathi (Aaj Tak), Gaurav Sawant (India Today), Navika Kumar (Times Now), Prachi Parashar (India TV), Rubika Liaquat (Bharat 24), Shiv Aroor (India Today), Sudhir Chaudhary (Aaj Tak), and Sushant Sinha (Times Now Navbharat).

The list was released a day after the INDIA bloc, in its first coordination committee meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday, decided to come up with a list of news anchors whose shows will be boycotted by the member parties.

Also read: India Alliance to Boycott TV Shows That ‘Conduct Inflammatory Debates’

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, September 16, in Hyderabad, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said that the move to not participate in these shows was not to be seen as a “boycott” but instead as a “non-cooperation movement”.

"We have not banned, boycotted or blacklisted anyone. This is a non-cooperation movement, we will not cooperate with anyone spreading hatred in the society. We are not stopping them from spreading hatred. You want to spread hatred, go ahead and do it. You have the freedom to do it. We also have the freedom not to be partners in that crime. They are not our enemies. We do not hate any of these friends of ours in the media. They may have their compulsions. And nothing is permanent, if tomorrow they realise that what they were doing is not good for India, not good for the society we are all together in this, we will again start attending their shows.

“Do not call it a ban. This can be called a non-cooperation movement. We are using a Gandhian method to exercise our freedom to not walk on those roads on which we are hurled garbage. We are just exercising our freedom and nothing else. All parties who are part of the INDIA alliance we have to change our path and we will not be a part of this. This is not a ban or a boycott or a blacklist, this is a non-cooperation movement.”

Ever since the alliance took shape in June, the leaders have spoken about the “unprecedented hostility” faced by opposition parties during the Narendra Modi regime. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had indicated in Bengaluru and Mumbai meetings that a strategy to counter propagandist media will be discussed among INDIA bloc constituents.

Mindset of 'Emergency', says BJP 

The INDIA bloc’s move has evoked sharp criticism from the BJP which has accused the alliance of displaying a mindset reminiscent of the Emergency under former prime minister Indira Gandhi when the freedom of the press was curtailed.

In a statement on Thursday night, the BJP said that it severely opposes "such derogatory mentality which hinders freedom of expression".

"The decision of political parties which are part of the 'ghamandiya' alliance to boycott some journalists shows their mentality of the time of repressive Emergency. Today also the 'ghamandiya' alliance is working with the same mindset of Emergency and vengeance against the media."

"INDIA alliance giving direct threat to the media is like gagging the media for speaking the truth."

Addressing a press conference on Friday, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra in New Delhi said that the names released by the opposition was a “hit list.”

“Was this a boycott list or a target list? Are they just being boycotting or are they being targeted? This is a hit list. There are some journalists who do not conduct debates so how will you send guests there? So why have their names been included? To target them. They will file FIRs against them and target them,” he said.

The party itself had, however, boycotted NDTV in 2014 in connection with an alleged “manufactured tweet.”

In a press release, the party said, “Tweet being manufactured by a channel in order to hurt BJP is unprecedented. BJP therefore has decided to keep away from panel discussions of NDTV for present.”

NDTV had erroneously reported a tweet by Sushma Swaraj saying that if there is a Modi wave in India, then why is he (Modi) looking for a safe seat in UP.

However, Swaraj's official handle had not made any such tweet, reported Scroll.

Later, the official account of the channel and then senior editor Barkha Dutt apologised for the error.

'Dangerous precedent,' says NBDA

Meanwhile, the move to release the list of news anchors has also been criticised by the New Broadcasters and Digital Association (NBDA).

In a statement on Thursday, the NBDA said that it is deeply anguished and concerned by the decision taken by the INDIA alliance.

"The decision taken by the INDIA media committee sets a dangerous precedent. The ban on representatives of the opposition alliance from participating in TV news shows anchored by some of India's top TV News personalities goes against the ethos of democracy. It betokens intolerance and imperils press freedom."

Also invoking the Emergency, the NBDA said that it takes "the nation back to the Emergency era, when the press was gagged and independent opinions and voices were crushed".

'Boycott is a badge of honour'

Meanwhile, some of the TV anchors mentioned in the list have taken to X (formerly Twitter) and spoken out against their names being included in the list.

Aman Chopra in a statement on X wrote that a boycott is the “biggest badge of honour for a journalist”.

Later, on his show on Thursday night, he stood with a finger on his lips and said that this is what the Congress and the opposition alliance want.

“Maybe this is what the alliance wants, that no one should ask them tough questions,” he said as he showed his name highlighted on the list released by the INDIA bloc.

Amish Devgan on his show on Friday night said that despite a “boycott” or a “ban” he will continue to speak.

“You can boycott and ban me but I am from India and I will continue to speak for India,” he said.

Aditi Tyagi said that while her name was on the top of the list, she will not be “afraid.”

In a post on X, Rubika Liyaquat also said that the list was a move born out of fear.

“It's not called banning, it's called fear. This is called running away from questions, not boycotting journalists. You have a habit of saying yes to those who say yes. I didn't do that yesterday nor will I do it again,” she wrote in Hindi.

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