Hamid Mir alleges Arnab Goswami pays Pakistani panelists to ‘Abuse India’ in TV debates
New Delhi: Prominent Pakistani Journalist Hamid Mir has alleged that Indian television anchor Arnab Goswami pays Pakistani panelists to "abuse India" during debates on his channel to boost Television Rating Points (TRPs). Mir made these claims in an interview with Pakistan-based digital news outlet The Current.
During the interview, Mir recounted his early interactions with Goswami. “When Arnab Goswami was working with NDTV, around 20–22 years ago, I appeared on his show in New Delhi for the first time. Back then, he was just a journalist. After leaving NDTV and joining Times Now, he would still invite me to his shows. He used to call me and say, ‘Hamid bhai,’ and anyone who calls me ‘bhai,’ I usually oblige. So, I used to join his programs.”
Mir claimed things changed when Goswami launched Republic TV. “Later, I came to know that BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar had invested in Republic TV. Many people told me that Arnab invites Pakistani intellectuals, politicians, and journalists, pays them, and instructs them to ‘abuse India’ on air.”
Mir said he personally asked some of these guests about the claim. “They told me, ‘Yes, we are paid and we abuse India.’ I asked why Goswami wanted this, and they said he gives us three minutes to bash India and then spends ten minutes bashing Pakistan. That way, his TRPs go up. That’s when I stopped appearing on his shows.”
He also recalled an incident when Goswami falsely claimed that Rawalpindi had been devastated during tensions between India and Pakistan. “I visited Rawalpindi, recorded a video, and posted it online to counter his claim. He didn’t like that,” Mir said, adding, “He is no longer a journalist, so I don’t see a reason to respond to him anymore.”
When asked about Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, Mir responded, “She has visited this office several times. She has been part of our programs too. Once, she claimed a Pakistani pilot had been arrested. I’m still waiting for her to release that photo. I’ll comment on her when she does. For now, I’m giving her some margin.”
Arnab Goswami invites Pakistanis on Republic TV and pay them to abuse India?
— Abhishek (@AbhishekSay) June 9, 2025
Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir says many politicians and journalists told him that Arnab pays them to abuse India in TV debates, after which Indian panelists are given more time to respond, all for TRP. pic.twitter.com/dlJqsta7NN
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Karnataka to witness heavy rain for next 10 days
Bengaluru: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the southwest monsoon will cause heavy rainfall likely this weekend and will drench Karnataka over the next 10 days.
The monsoon has begun retreating from northwestern India. Conditions remain active over the south, with an upper air trough extending up to 1.5 km over North Interior Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu, combined with weakening monsoon winds across the peninsula, is driving the current spell. N. Puviarasan, head of the IMD’s meteorological centre in Bengaluru, said in a conversation with Deccan Herald, “As a result, the whole of Karnataka will see rain over the next week to 10 days."
With a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean along with a low-pressure system over the north Bay of Bengal, the monsoon is expected to intensify during the next four days. IMD has predicted heavy rains across South Interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, throughout the weekend.
Bengaluru, recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday. Between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm, Bengaluru city logged 45.9 mm of rain accompanied by thunderstorms. HAL airport registered 6 mm and the Bengaluru Urban automatic station recorded 47.5 mm. Doddathoguru, near Electronics City, reported 55 mm.
According to IMD forecast heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Yadgir, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Mandya districts in the next few days.
The southwest monsoon is now expected to extend until mid-October and with little or no break in between, the northeast monsoon is likely to follow immediately. These are expected to last until December. “There may be no break in between,” Puviarasan said.
