Two held after attack on Arnab and his wife

MUMBAI/DELHI :

Arnab said that he was told by his security guards that the attackers were allegedly Youth Congress workers

TWO motorcycle-borne persons allegedly attacked journalist Arnab Goswami’s car in Mumbai and tried to break its glass window while he and his wife were on their way home in the early hours of Thursday, police said. The incident took place on the Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, while Goswami was returning from a studio located in Bombay Dyeing Complex in Lower Parel area, a police official said. The attackers overtook Goswami’s car, stopped it and one of them allegedly tried to break the vehicle’s glass window by repeatedly hitting it with his hands, the official said.

The attackers were carrying a bottle of ink which they threw on his car, the official said. Goswami’s security guards, who were behind in another car, caught hold of the two persons and handed them over to the N M Joshi Marg Police, he added. Both the attackers have been arrested, he added. In a video posted after the alleged attack, Goswami said he was told by his security guards that the attackers were allegedly Youth Congress workers. However, there was no confirmation of the same by either police or the youth outfit. Goswami has faced flak over his remarks aimed at Sonia Gandhi during a discussion on the Palghar incident in which three persons, including two sadhus, were lynched.

In Delhi, BJP leaders, including party president J P Nadda, condemned the alleged attack on Goswami and targeted the Congress over the incident. “Shocking to see Arnab Goswami attacked after Congress CMs publicly threatened him. Sad to see such public hounding of a journalist for his freedom of speech. Congress shows it is the party that brought Emergency and continues its rich tradition of trampling free speech,” Nadda tweeted. Law Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad sought action against those involved in the incident. “Deeply condemn the violent physical attack on senior journalist #ArnabGoswami and his wife. State Police must take lawful action against the attackers, “ he tweeted.

Another senior BJP leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar also condemned the incident. Every attack on any journalist is condemnable as this is against democracy, he said and sought action against the accused as per law. Meanwhile, the Old Students’ Association of the Hindu College in Delhi condemned the alleged attack on college alumnus Goswami. “An attack on editors is an effort to intimidate the press, freedom of expression and the media. A vibrant democracy must ensure press freedom and not stifle it,” it said in a statement.