Mockery of terror threat to Arnab Goswami exposes the 'liberal' hypocrisy over freedom of speech

News emerged earlier on Sunday that Arnab Goswami, the self-proclaimed voice of the nation and its conscience keeper would be provided Y-class security cover after threats from Pakistan-based terror groups. Predictably, that other voice of the nation, Twitter, went into hyperdrive. The news is hardly surprising given Goswami’s penchant for rattling Pakistan, Pak-based terror groups, or anyone Pakistani in his newsroom but what is surprising is the reaction of his peers and self-proclaimed liberals.

The most common reaction to Goswami’s predicament was one of scorn. Twitter users trended the hash-tag #TommyGetsSecurity, Tommy a derogatory term to describe how Goswami was perceived to be a lapdog of the establishment.

While not descending to the level of hash-tagging trolls, self-proclaimed liberals couldn’t help but rib Arnab or mock his security cover or the perception of threat. Rohit Chopra, who runs the Twitter handle India Explained, compared his predicament to film director Anurag Kashyap who had targeted PM Modi over the ‘ADHM ban’ (even though there’s no ‘ban’ in the real sense). He wrote: “Arnab gets state security for being a sniveling Modi sycophant while Anurag Kashyap gets threats for speaking truth to power. Achche Din.”

Former SC judge, danda enthusiast and avid social media user Justice Katju wrote: “This joker Arnab Goswamy who has nothing in his head except his arrogance will get 20 guards night & day by Govt. for his security. Hari Om.” Journalist Shivam Vij, suggested the security cover was a reward for his loyalty. He wrote: “Has Arnab Goswami been given security for self-aggrandisement, as a reward for loyally doing PR for Modi govt, or was there genuine threat? I don't know how real the threat is. Z plus security a status symbol amongst India's power elite. Tax payer's money being used to give security to Arnab Goswami. We must ask if this is power play or if the security threat is genuine.”

New York Times’ South Asia Bureau Chief Ellen Barry tweeted: “Finger-jabbing TV talk czar Arnab Goswami to get 20-man govt security detail after ‘threats from Pak-based terror groups’.” On the other hand, author Salil Tripathi joked: “I hope Arnab Goswami's bodyguards are well-protected as they guard India's main weapon. They deserve industry-strength ear-plugs.”

Now one doesn’t have agree with Arnab Goswami or his show to condemn threats of violence by terror groups against him. Grown individuals shouting at each other barely qualifies as news or a debate. The only thing separating the Newshourfrom, say, Bigg Boss, is perhaps the sartorial choices of those present. The hatred Goswami attracts from his peers is, in that sense, understandable.

They see him as a sycophant of the ruling party, they believe he’s dumbing down the national discourse, and being a loudmouth in general. There was that time when he asked for action against those who ‘spoke against national interests’, which many members of the profession perceived to be a ‘gag order’. It doesn’t help that his show’s numbers routinely beat all his competitors’ TRPs combined.

But even then, one would always expect anyone proclaiming to be a liberal to defend an individual’s right to free speech irrespective of political ideology. And when one is threatened with violence because of what one says, it’s the moral imperative of people who call themselves on the side of free speech to support the aforementioned individual, more so when that person is a journalist, and even if that individual has asked for the curtailing of others' freedom of speech.