India TV Chairman and senior journalist Rajat Sharma has found himself in trouble. Congress spokesperson Dr. Ragini Nayak accused Sharma of verbally abusing her in a live debate hosted by him. She shared a video as proof of Sharma commenting “Kya be******d” during the live broadcast.
“The first video was brought to my attention on ‘X’! In this, Rajat Sharma is seen using foul language against me on air! I fact checked it! Raw footage of this video was taken from the channel (second video). What could be a lower level of journalism than this? Do you have any answers, Rajat Sharma?” questioned Nayak.
पहला वीडियो ‘X’ पर मेरे संज्ञान में लाया गया !
इसमें @RajatSharmaLive On Air मुझे एक भद्दी गाली देते हुए दिख रहे हैं !
मैंने Factcheck किया !
चैनल से इसी वीडियो का Raw Footage निकाला (दूसरा वीडियो)पत्रकारिता का इससे गिरा हुआ स्तर क्या होगा ?
कोई जवाब है आपके पास रजत शर्मा ? pic.twitter.com/0GrQgYIPrl
— Dr. Ragini Nayak (@NayakRagini) June 10, 2024
Since the clip has gone viral, several people have come out in support of Nayak, slamming the journalist for his behaviour. Sharma has yet to comment on the matter.
Read More: Content Creator Pretends To Be Muslim, Abuses Hindu Voters In Ayodhya, Now Arrested
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned the incident and said, “Rajat Sharma is a well-known media personality. He has his own political leanings, but for a prominent spokesperson of the Congress, who is a woman, to use such abusive language is completely unacceptable and must be strongly condemned. An unconditional public apology is urgently required in this matter.”
रजत शर्मा एक प्रसिद्ध मीडिया व्यक्तित्व हैं। उनके अपने राजनीतिक झुकाव हैं, लेकिन कांग्रेस की एक प्रमुख प्रवक्ता, जो एक महिला हैं, के लिए इस तरह की अपमानजनक भाषा का इस्तेमाल करना पूरी तरह से अस्वीकार्य है और इसकी कड़ी निंदा की जानी चाहिए। इस मामले में बिना शर्त सार्वजनिक माफी की… https://t.co/N86jrdLQ9P
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 11, 2024
An X (formerly known as Twitter) user called Ankit Mayank shared the video and demanded strict action against Sharma. “This is how this vile man Rajat Sharma was mocking Rahul Gandhi & INDIA leaders few days back. Today he got caught abusing a female opposition leader on Live TV. Will female anchor Anjana, Rubika, Shweta or Palki grow a spine & condemn atleast now?,” he said.
This is how this vile man Rajat Sharma was mocking Rahul Gandhi & INDIA leaders few days back
Today he got caught abusing a female opposition leader on Live TV
Will female anchor Anjana, Rubika, Shweta or Palki grow a spine & condemn atleast now? pic.twitter.com/fPtmjtwoQG
— Ankit Mayank (@mr_mayank) June 10, 2024
Srinivas BV, National President of Youth Congress, questioned, “Mr. Rajat Sharma, do you talk like this to your mother and sister at home too?”
रजत शर्मा जी,
आप घर पर माँ-बहन से भी ऐसे ही बात करते है? pic.twitter.com/mI946sYxEc— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) June 10, 2024
Demanding an apology from the senior journalist, Congress member Deepak Khatri said, “Rajat Sharma, a prominent pillar of Godi media and very close to Narendra Modi, is abusing Congress leader Ragini Nayak ji during a live debate by using foul language. Rajat Sharam should apologise as soon as possible for this disgusting act.”
गोदी मीडिया के प्रमुख स्तंभ और नरेंद्र मोदी के बेहद करीबी रजत शर्मा लाइव डिबेट के दौरान कांग्रेस नेत्री @NayakRagini जी को अभद्र भाषा का दुरुपयोग करते हुए गलियां दे रहे है
रजत शर्मा @RajatSharmaLive जल्द से जल्द माफी मांगे अपने इस घिनौने कृत्य के लिए pic.twitter.com/DcDxdn9iBY
— Deepak Khatri (@Deepakkhatri812) June 11, 2024
Several journalists also came in support of Nayak, condemning Sharma’s remarks. Surbhi Maradiya took to X and wrote, “Rajat Sharma, who has been a Sangh pracharak since childhood, is now abusing a woman in a live show, this is nothing new! Their standard has remained the same!”
बचपन से संघ के प्रचारक रहे है रजत शर्मा अब लाइव शो में एक महिला को गाली दे रहे है ये कोई नई बात नही हे!
इनका तो स्तर ही रही है ! pic.twitter.com/w4EvDwIHCY
— Surbhi Maradiya (@SurabhiMaradiya) June 11, 2024
India TV reaction
Indian TV, in a “warning” to Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh said the inferences drawn by them from the non-existent and imaginary are per se defamatory and the media house reserves the right to take further legal action.
Here is the full text from India TV’s legal team:
“I am writing to you on behalf of India’s most respected journalist and television presenter Mr. Rajat Sharma, who has been in this profession for more than four decades and has a very high degree of credibility and reputation. Mr. Sharma is known for his cultured and civilised behaviour both on and off air. Television viewers world over appreciate his polite and gentle style of anchoring. We have seen your posts on social media where you have accused Mr. Sharma of using abusive language on air. The allegations made by you in your posts are absolutely false and lack any basis and foundation whatsoever. They are malicious and defamatory and clearly constitute fake news. You have blatantly violated all limits of public decency by falsely accusing a personality of high repute. We are taking legal advice on this to take further action. Meanwhile, we have come to know that you are trying to further compound the imperceivable by proposing a press conference and disseminating the same baseless, false and defamatory news once again. We warn you that you should desist from this. We reiterate that Mr. Sharma has never used abusive language in private or public life. Inference drawn by you from the non-existent and imaginary are per se defamatory. We reserve the right to take further legal action.”