NDTV journalist, Ravish Kumar who has often stirred controversies with his unethical, agenda-based reporting that relies upon sensationalism and malice has once again caused a massive outrage. This time around he targeted and defamed an innocent, budding actor Anurag Mishra concerning the recent Delhi riots, and Mishra is now seeking protection for his life.
As soon as the riots took off, a video of a man identified by the Delhi Police as Shahrukh, shooting at the police personnel went viral. Soon radical Islamist elements on social media started spreading the fake news that the man in question was not a Shahrukh, but a ‘Hindutva terrorist’ Anurag Mishra.
Man who fired bullets and seen in picture is neither a Muslim nor his name is Shahrukh but he is been identified by @DelhiPolice as ANURAG MISHRA a local resident of Delhi. pic.twitter.com/6sWe1ePkGp
— سَيِّدْ (@SaiyidSays) February 26, 2020
Giving credence to such bizarre falsehoods was none other than Ravish Kumar. The NDTV journalist went to the extent of legitimising the fake news during his TV show, wherein he said, “Police has not been able to arrest him (the gun brandishing gun) till now. Delhi Police clearly says that he is Shahrukh, but look at Social Media, he is being identified as Anurag Mishra.”
https://twitter.com/Soumyadipta/status/1232902311879626752
While Ravish Kumar faced massive outrage for passing off the man who fired eight rounds of bullets at the Delhi Police as a Brahmin Hindu, Anurag Mishra, Kumar remained adamant even on getting fact-checked.
Astounding how Ravish Kumar can spread such blatant lies, defame an innocent Hindu man and get away with this. @IndEditorsGuild will do NOTHING in this case. pic.twitter.com/ZHu2cXOy3B
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) February 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/vivekagnihotri/status/1232940962910855168
Having shamelessly generated the fake news, the NDTV journalist came up with an agonising excuse instead of apologising for reckless reporting. He said, “In my show, I said, “Police clearly said that he is Shahrukh, but see social media is claiming that he is Anurag. We need police to speak up on his identity.”
While an unabashed Kumar remains unapologetic, Anurag Mishra is facing all the trouble. Apart from the loss of reputation and sheer hatred, he is also facing life threats. Rumours keep intensifying and now miscreants have started portraying him as BJP Kapil Mishra’s nephew.
Faced with death threats, Anurag Mishra who has ironically been to the National Capital only once in his life is living in a sense of fear. Even his family members fear for their security. He is not able to leave his home, except in the company of his friends or a Bouncer. This shows the level of precariousness that Ravish Kumar has created for the budding actor.
While Shahrukh- the gun-wielding man is absconding, it is Anurag Mishra who is facing all the hate courtesy Ravish Kumar. Ravish Kumar must own up and apologise. Ironically, Ravish Kumar won the Ramon Magsaysay award in 2019 and was hailed for his ‘brave journalism’.
To say that he got carried away by what the social media users were saying and wanted the Delhi Police to clarify is too flimsy an excuse. How can Ravish Kumar rely upon what radical Islamists had to say on Twitter? Why couldn’t he verify the claims and do a fact hunting report instead? He could have formally clarified the issue with the Delhi Police through proper channels instead of going live and asking for a clarification.
Strict action must be taken against Ravish Kumar, including blocking his Prime Time show and penal action. A journalist cannot be allowed to turn rogue targeting innocent citizens in order to build specific narratives at the cost of reality.
