Arnab Goswami: “I want all of them to abuse me”
Face of Republic Media Network asks Friedrich to continue abusing him
Apparently responding to a tweet by journalist Pieter Friedrich, controversial and notoriously loud-mouthed Republic Media Network anchor and managing director Arnab Goswami shot back by asking Friedrich to continue “abusing” him.
On 16 February, in response to an interview invitation by media outlet Times Now (for which Goswami was once an anchor), Friedrich replied: “Times Now finally reached out to me for comment after airing several defamatory segments about me. I told them: ‘Arnab Goswami is an ass-kisser, brown-noser, and lapdog of Modi, who is a genocidal maniac, and he can go fuck himself with the rest of the Godi media.’”
“Godi,” referring to the common phrase “Godi Media,” essentially means “lapdog” and is meant to imply that those labeled as such are mouthpieces of the State regime.
In a 17 February segment, Goswami, apparently disturbed by Friedrich’s comments, responded while uncomfortably adjusting his tie:
“I consider it a matter of great pride that this sold-out ISI [a reference to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency] invertebrate called Pieter Friedrich, the greatest friend of India’s tukde-tukde gang, has in his usual illiterate and lumpen style — because he’s a lumpen — I’ve heard he’s been abusing me recently. I wear this lumpen’s reviews like a badge of honor, like his lord and master and paymaster Imran Khan…. I want all of them to abuse me. Abuse me more and more and more…. Because when they abuse me, it becomes easier to abuse these anti-nationals, and when they’re identified then we can fight them, we can target them, so I want them to abuse me…. When all of them conspire against us, it only sharpens the focus of the whole country in this do-or-die battle that is on right now.”
Friedrich, meanwhile, sarcastically noted on Twitter, “I’ve decided to accept an interview with Arnab Goswami on the sole condition that I can appear in my true form.” He accompanied the Tweet with an altered photo of himself portrayed as a Cyclops. Reached for comment, Friedrich added, “I’m a peace-loving, laid-back guy with no desire to abuse anyone. I’m sure Goswami is capable of abusing himself, as we all are, but I do hope he refrains from doing so. If he needs someone to talk to, off the record, I’m always available.”
