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A day after Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expressed concern over Arnab Goswami’s security and health, home minister Anil Deshmukh personally called on him to brief him on the present status of the case, reports Prafulla Marpakwar. However, Deshmukh told TOI. “I met the governor. There was no discussion on the Arnab Goswami case. We exchanged pleasantries for the Diwali festival… I extended him best wishes for the festive season.”
Koshyari had on Monday spoken to Deshmukh and expressed concern over Goswami’s security and health. A few days ago, the governor had written to the home minister. The governor had asked Deshmukh to allow Goswami’s family members to meet him. Deshmukh had declined to oblige him, saying, ever since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, the jail administration had refused permission to any relative of jail inmates to visit the prison. “We have stopped visitors to jail and accordingly, it has been informed to Raj Bhavan,” Deshmukh said.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik had reacted sharply on the governor’s concern, saying,said that instead of expressing sympathy for Goswami, Koshyari should meet family members of Anvay Naik who committed suicide in 2018. Meanwhile, leader of opposition (legislative council) Praveen Darekar, Mumbai BJP president Mangal Prabhat Lodha, MP Gopal Shetty and legislator Ashish Shelar, called on Koshyari to express concern over attack on media. “We found that the Thackeray-led government has imposed stringent restrictions on use of social media and media is being targeted for obvious political reasons. Offences have been registered against BJP activists, who have posted message on the social media,’’ Darekar said.
