ZEE News journalist quits over JNU coverage

A ZEE News journalist has sensationally quit the channel in disgust over its Jawaharlal Nehru University coverage.

According to The Wire India, Vishwa Deepak has accused the channel of ���toeing the government�۪s line�۝ on JNU and ���pushing towards ruin the careers, dreams and families of several students�۝.

Deepak said, “The manner in which JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was framed in the name of ��nationalism�۪ and charged as ��anti-national�۪ by means of media trial, points to a very dangerous tendency. We journalists have a responsibility to ask questions of those in authority, not to work in equilibrium with them. Whatever excellence has been achieved in the history of journalism has been the result of asking questions of authority.

To question or not to question is a personal matter. However I believe the personal is also political. A time has come upon us when one has to choose between one�۪s professional responsibilities and politico-social convictions, take sides. I have chosen to go with the latter and due to differences on these grounds with my organisation Zee News I have resigned with effect from February 19.

I dedicate my resignation to the hundreds of thousands of Kanhaiyas in India and to those friends in JNU who are inspired to struggle and make sacrifices by the beautiful dreams they dream.”

Furthermore, in an open letter published by The Wire India, Deepak blasted ZEE News for its coverage of the story, “What I am about to say now is not being said in the heat of the moment, or in anger and irritation; it is a well-thought out statement. I am a journalist but I am also the citizen of a country in whose name the poison of blind ��nationalism�۪ is being spread. My duty as a citizen as well as my professional obligation both tell me that I must try my best to stop this poison from spreading. I know this is akin to crossing the high seas on a small boat but even then I want to make a beginning. Based on this conviction, I am resigning to register my protest at the role played by ZEE News in instigating and spreading the campaign of blind nationalism under the pretext of publicising Kanhaiya�۪s excess.”

Over the past few days, news channels have been covering reports of five Indian students facing charges of sedition after organising a protest at the university. The protests, which took place earlier this month was connected to the 2013 hanging of Kashmiri man Mohammed Afzal Guru and allegedly saw the chanting of anti-India slogans.