Dhanya Rajendran slays Arnab Goswami, Republic TV after it sends legal notice to her website
Bengaluru: Editor-in-Chief of news website The News Minute, Dhanya Rajendran on Thursday took a dig at Arnab Goswami and his channel Republic TV after the latter served a notice of The News Minute over what The News Minute said was an “error”.
Earlier, The News Minute had published a news article titled “Explainer: BARC audit report shows employees colluded to change channel ratings”. The article was published on the website on January 26. In response to the article, the Republic TV sent a legal notice to the website alleging the website tried to “falsely and maliciously concoct a story about findings on Mr. Dasgupta to any specific “exchanges” with Mr. Goswami.”
The News Minute on Thursday posted a corrigendum through their official Twitter handle and wrote “A section in the article said that the BARC Audit report came to a conclusion on the basis of Partho Dasgupta's exchanges with Arnab Goswami. This was an error”.
In another tweet, The News Minute wrote “The conclusion was based on exchanges between Partho Dasgupta and several people in BARC and three emails he sent Arnab Goswami before the launch of Republic TV. The error is regretted”.
Corrigendum: A section in the article said that the BARC Audit report came to a conclusion on the basis of Partho Dasgupta's exchanges with Arnab Goswami. This was an error. (1/2)
— The News Minute (@thenewsminute) January 28, 2021
The Republic TV was quick to seize the opportunity and responded with a reply to the tweet adding that the corrigendum from The News Minute was in response to the legal notice it served to the company.
The Republic replied “This is in response to a legal notice we served today to @thenewsminute through our lawyer Tanmaya Mehta on the false reporting in @thenewsminute trying to falsely & maliciously concoct a story about findings on Mr. Dasgupta to any specific “exchanges” with Mr Goswami.”
This is in response to a legal notice we served today to @thenewsminute through our lawyer Tanmaya Mehta on the false reporting in @thenewsminute trying to falsely & maliciously concoct a story about findings on Mr Dasgupta to any specific “exchanges” with Mr Goswami. 1/n https://t.co/8fZxONY3kx
— Republic (@republic) January 28, 2021
Dhanya Rajendran who heads the news website took a dig at Republic TV and its Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami without naming him and wrote “we are decent journalists who may make small mistakes, but will own up to them, as opposed to bullies with powerful friends in Lutyens Delhi.”
Dhanya further slammed Republic adding “They spew venom, insuinate, gloat over TRPs covering deaths, then serve notices.”
Yes, we are decent journalists who may make small mistakes, but will own up to them, as opposed to bullies with powerful friends in Lutyens Delhi. They spew venom, insuinate, gloat over TRPs covering deaths, then serve notices. https://t.co/BjbaNvckht
— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) January 28, 2021
The online spat between Dhanya Rajendran and the Republic TV comes amidst the controversy over the alleged leaked WhatsApp chat of Arnab Goswami with Partho Dasgupta, the former Chairman of BARC which has triggered a nationwide outrage against Goswami and his channel.
Goswami in the alleged leaked chat is seen sending text messages to Dasgupta celebrating the dastardly Pulwama attack.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
