The gathering saw the farmers attending the Mahapanchayat mob and chase out anchors of news channels who they referred as “Godi Media” (pliable media).
The Kisan Mahapanchayat called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha at Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar on Sunday saw a massive gathering in which thousands of farmers from UP and neighbouring states showed up in a show of strength.
As farmers protesting against the three farm laws introduced by the union government vowed to continue their agitation, and to campaign against the BJP in upcoming UP polls, the gathering also saw the farmers attending the Mahapanchayat mob and chase out anchors of news channel who they referred as “Godi Media” (pliable media).
Several viral videos on social media sites showed Hindi news channel Aaj Tak’s anchor Chitra Tripathi being chased down by the farmers. In one of these videos, while Ms Tripathi was reporting live from the ground, farmers gathered around her and started raising slogans of “Godi Media Hay Hay (Godi Media Down Down)”. As she cut short her reporting, and started walking away, the farmers chased her and continued their sloganeering.
#Muzaffarnagar : Farmers boycott Aaj News anchor Chitra Tripathi, she later ran away from venue after facing furious farmers who were sloganeering "Godi media murdabad". pic.twitter.com/rqdtixAoJB
— Riaz ᴬᴴᴹᴱᴰ (@karmariaz) September 5, 2021
In another video, Ms Tripathi and her cameraman are seen walking away from the Mahapanchayat as farmers continue to follow them. A policeman is seen making way for the anchor through the crowd as she’s mobbed by the angry farmers.
The latest video suggest that Chitra Tripathi was booed and shown the exit. She was not physically manhandled or was abused. pic.twitter.com/2z0UVRMonY
— AITCSupporter (@AITCKolaghat) September 5, 2021
In an another video, a reporter representing Hindi news channel TV9 is seen telling the anchor on live feed: “Since the start of this Mahapanchayat, there has been no talk about the three farm laws..”. However, as soon as he says that, he is interrupted by the farmers attending the gathering, who tell him that he’s “lying” and the laws “are being talked about since the Mahapanchayat started”. The anchor then replies saying “the issue of defeating the BJP/government is being discussed”, to which the angry farmers respond saying “who’ll we discuss to defeat if not the government/BJP?”
जहर की उल्टी करने ही वाला था कि पीछे से टीका लग गया #मुज़फ्फरनगर_किसान_महापंचायत pic.twitter.com/eCjeWku6Gh
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 (@RoflGandhi_) September 5, 2021
In another picture viral on social media, a poster of News18 anchor Amish Devgan raised at the Mahapanchayat is seen. In this poster, a garland of shoes and chappals is placed around the face of the prime time anchor. Spit marks on the face of the anchor were also observed in the poster doing rounds on the internet.
Treatment of News18 anchor Amish Devgan's portrait in Mahapanchayat. pic.twitter.com/cyesdijPQK
— Poll Update (@PollUpdateInd) September 5, 2021
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