On Tuesday, 28th January 2020, Dhruv Rathee, an online Indian activist and political commentator uploaded a video on his Facebook.
The video was of known comedian, Kunal Kamra, confronting journalist (I use the word lightly) Arnab Goswami and just raging at him for the way he presents news, media bias, and even his coverage of the Rohith Vemula suicide.
https://www.facebook.com/DhruvRatheePage/videos/2558660944390158/?v=2558660944390158
In the video Kamra can be heard saying things like:
“…He’s not ready to answer my question, viewers! Viewers today want to know if Arnab is a coward or a nationalist. Arnab, this is for national interest!”
“Are you a journalist or a coward?”
In just a few hours the video caught on fire with it trending on almost every social media platform in the country.
Till date, the video on Facebook has over 560,000 views and over 5,000 comments. Along with this, Kunal Kamra and Arnab Goswami were both trending on Twitter too.
This eventually led to Kamra being put on a no-fly list not just by IndiGo airline but also Air India, GoAir and Spice Jet. Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in fact, has also asked other airlines to impose the same restrictions on Kamra.
While it has certainly brought up some good talking points, it is astonishing to see how much fodder it has given to the jokesters online.
Here are some of the funniest conversations from various social media platforms around this whole fiasco:
https://twitter.com/GuessWhoForever/status/1222210134937485312
Sorry Indigo, I won’t be flying with you again. Just cancelled my tickets on your flight. Attached is the screenshot. pic.twitter.com/rJXdTcaqbS
— Shridhar V (@iimcomic) January 29, 2020
In view of the incident onboard @IndiGo6E, Delhi Auto association wishes to inform that conduct of @kunalkamra88 was unacceptable, With a view to discourage such behavior onboard, Mr Kunal Kamra is suspended from traveling on any CNG Auto in delhi until further notice.
— Nitish Bharadwaj (@HarUniversity) January 28, 2020
Every morning*#kunalkamra
— Sir-kid (@ooobhaishab) January 29, 2020
Alarm Me pic.twitter.com/wwPhpT3WFP
https://twitter.com/rose_k01/status/1222350967754018816
Read More: Shouldn’t Extremely Biased, Political Journalists Be Banned, Who Talk More Like Party Spokes Pieces?
The only option left for @kunalkamra88#BoycottIndigo #BoycottAirIndia
— Aman Tak (@Filmylocal_) January 29, 2020
Gau Air by Patanjali airlines. pic.twitter.com/7ucOsGcpGk
Kunal Kamra after multiple bans, flight ✈️ ki feeling lete hue pic.twitter.com/gv2riNcSll
— Dr Gill (@ikpsgill1) January 29, 2020
Indigo suspended @kunalkamra88 for 6 months …
— Rishi (@SunoRishi) January 29, 2020
Public: ok
AIR INDIA also banned kunal.
Public :#kunalkamra #BoycottIndigo pic.twitter.com/bR2utsolvu
https://twitter.com/Nehr_who/status/1222226845812154368
https://twitter.com/Vishj05/status/1222119321142325248
*Flight lands*
— Aisi Taisi Democracy (@AisiTaisiDemo) January 28, 2020
*Arnab quickly walks out, avoiding everybody's gaze, and into the airport washroom*
*Arnab looks into the mirror, still silent*
*Arnab bends closer to the mirror and whispers*
"You are Arnab Fucking Goswami. Don't you forget it."
Arnab is given the taste of his own brand of journalism, mid-air https://t.co/tyYbPoKhKH
— Baba Umar (@BabaUmarr) January 28, 2020
Guys in DM. Nice DP girl pic.twitter.com/BYd4IJDWuJ
— mirdha088 (@BeHumourBeHappy) January 29, 2020
Apart from all the jokes, this whole incident has brought out some things clearly, that we need to be paying attention to.
Need I still spell them out?
Image Credits: Twitter and Instagram
Sources: BBC News, The Indian Express
Find the blogger @chirali_08
