Times Now has surprised many fans on Twitter after the channel today adopted a tough stand against patriotic lawyers who attacked Jawaharlal Nehru University students union president Kanhaiya Kumar and the media that they feel support “anti-nationals”.
Today, on the second day of trial, Kumar was attacked for the second time by self-described nationalist lawyers, who accuse him of sedition and being “anti-national”.
The first time Kumar and the media were attacked was around noon two days ago, when he was produced in the court for the first time.
While nearly every news organization carried live coverage of the attack on journalists, students and professors by lawyers, Times Now was showing an anti-JNU protest by Bajrang Dal activists.
While many channels called the violence a grave threat to the functioning of an independent media and democracy itself, Times Now called it a scuffle in its tweet.
Scuffle breaks out between Lawyers and JNU protesters as JNUSU President is brought to court #StopAntiIndiaCampaign https://t.co/1z78xkX2Mv
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 15, 2016
The channel has also run a campaign against what it terms anti-nationals, using various hashtags such as #stopAntiIndiacampaign, #Afzalvirus and #NoPlaceforTreason.
An interview with one of the lawyers who was spearheading the events in the court complex today, for example, was tagged under “Afzalvirus”, in reference to Afzal Guru, who was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of India for his role in the 2001 terror attack on the Indian Parliament.
Will stand against anyone who stands against the nation: Lawyer involved in Patiala court scuffle #AfzalVirus https://t.co/P3ESaqtkqh
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
Caught on camera: Lawyers thrash journalists yet again outside Patiala House Court, Delhi #AfzalVirus https://t.co/SS6X5eezT2
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
Why are you not going against anti-India people? What was JNU admin & Delhi police doing? JD(U) #NoPlaceForTreason https://t.co/qsh8lW5sXj
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 16, 2016
JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar to be produced before Delhi court today as his 2-days police custody ends #NoPlaceForTreason
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
JUST IN: Lawyers protest outside Patiala House Court, Delhi #AfzalVirus pic.twitter.com/uyNWFXhnVS
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
JUST IN: As the #AfzalVirus spreads, JNU students to escalate protest, to boycott classes pic.twitter.com/RZqeSoTBFo
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
How does a campaign to divide India become freedom of expression? Tweet your take using #StopAntiIndiaCampaign
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 15, 2016
However, at around 3 pm today, the channel adopted a new hashtag #LawyersOrGoons.
We have adequate evidence against JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, says Delhi top cop BS Bassi #LawyersOrGoons
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 17, 2016
However, some people were not clearly amused with the new hashtag.
@TimesNow OMG @TimesNow is so concerned.
— Amit (@a_m_i_t_k_s) February 17, 2016
@TimesNow anti nationalism in guise of journalism..omg
— rahul Raj (@jk17_raj) February 17, 2016
@TimesNow @TimesNow Stop crying and playing victim like other presstitues. Your #lawyersOrGoons will bring down your trp tonite.
— Naren Nanjappa (@narennanjappa) February 17, 2016
Some others merely expressed curiosity about new hashtag.
.@TimesNow What happened, now your own journalist got beaten up Arnab?
— Lajan J O (@DilawarTalkies) February 17, 2016
@TimesNow Was it TimesNow journalist who was beaten up? #Shame on such PatRIOTs who resort to violence.
— Ganesh_Khare (@Ganesh_Khare) February 17, 2016
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