News Broadcasting
JNU’s Kanhiaya Kumar & the role of television news
MUMBAI: “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”
Given the perilous times that we are living in today, no words resonate more aptly than these lines penned by Rabindranath Tagore more than a hundred years ago.
Over the past one week, the country has witnessed debates, discussions and dialogues galore after the incident that happened in the Patiala Court on 15 February. That was the fateful afternoon when lawyers condemned students, journalists and cameramen who were present in court. That was the day when Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who had been arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly raising anti-India slogans, was supposed to be produced in front of the judge.
With no journalist being spared by the ‘judges,’ the police force opted to be mere watchers turning a blind eye to what was happening. Anyone who didn’t look like a lawyer was beaten up. This action not only spurred anger across the nation but also marked 16 February as a Black Day wherein journalists displayed solidarity against what had happened in the high profile court complex. Hundreds of journalists decided to walk from the Press Club of India to the Supreme Court at noon on Tuesday to protest against the violence that took place.
The event also saw some students allegedly raising anti-India slogans. NDTV CEO Vikram Chandra told indiantelevision.com that the unfortunate incidents on that day were deplorable.
Said he: “I strongly oppose the slogan shouting that happened. It was highly inappropriate and shameful. Also, such reactions from the lawyers is disgraceful.”
Then came claims, claims and more claims. Every news channel talked about the video that came out showing students chanting anti-Indian slogans, which celebrated Afzal Guru. While on the one hand, news channels kept airing the video of the attack by lawyers, on the other a few opted to take a stand on bigger issues of the events that unfolded at JNU. While some covered the attacks by lawyers, some covered the student protests at JNU. Diverse opinions and viewpoints bombarded newswatchers at home.
Such incidents make us question the basic right of freedom of expression laid down in Section 19 of the Indian Constitution. In the light of what happened, the lawyers completely mishandled and misinterpreted this basic right.
And in this constant tug-of-war between one side or the other, we saw some TV reporters and anchors going overboard and taking it out against each other in public.
We watched as Times Now editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami conducted his routine debate session, bashing the students and disregarding what had happened. And the vociferous senior journalist has faced much criticism for the way he portrayed the event.
What’s more, Goswami has faced flak from senior journalists like NDTV’s Ravish Kumar and India Today Television’s Rajdeep Sardesai, who directly took him on because of his take on the entire issue. Goswami got fiery with the liberals asking them if such sloganeering or glorifying a terrorist as a martyr is freedom of speech or sedition, to speak the language of separatists? He ran out of “patience” while discussing this entire incident when one of the students Omar Khalid interrupted him in his prime time show The Newshour.
NDTV senior journalist Ravish Kumar voiced his views on nationalism and what its connection is with our democracy. Kumar, in a blank black screen video with only subtitles, fired direct salvos against some anchors including Goswami. Starting with lines like: “In the name of debate, the everyday noise and shouting is either bringing you to light or taking you to darkness. You too must have been wondering.”
With just a dark and empty background sprinkled generously with impactful words, strong ideas and an eye-ball grabbing narration, he talked about the way in which TV debates are shaping up today.
He said, “Our job is not to provoke or incite, but simply ask; ask questions to those in power. But TV anchors don’t do that, intentionally so, and they shout. Is this how you speak at home, to your family, to your sister, to your wife?” he asked, adding, “Do we get accountability by screaming on television?”
On the other hand, Sardesai came out with a blog titled: ‘I’m anti national,’ where he tried to convey an important point, and that was to stop dividing people in the name of nationalism.
“Yes, I am anti-national because I believe in an expanded definition of the right to free speech as spelt out in Article 19 of the Constitution,” are his exact words from the blog. He opined that the right to dissent is a fundamental right. “People cannot and should not take the law into their own hands. I don’t know yet whether the slogans that were raised were from the students or someone else,” he added.
Video clips all over the Internet and social media have depicted students yelling out slogans like, Bharat ki barbaadi tak jang rahegi, Afzal Guru Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad. However, the authenticity of these very videos is still shrouded in doubt.
To add to all this comes the shocking news about a Zee News producer Vishwa Deepak resigning from the news channel as a sign of disgust on the alleged biased coverage of the JNU protests and the sedition charges against the students’ union leader.
He was reportedly a part of the team that produced a show on the night of 9 February, when alleged anti-India slogans were raised at the JNU campus. Deepak stated that the channel had broadcast a video of students raising slogans with a caption that said ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ while no such sloganeering was done and this could be easily figured out from the crowd and the darkness at that time.
Of course media houses went to town carrying his resignation letter in its entirety or excerpts from it, rubbing their hands in glee as it gave them fodder to denigrate the Hindi news channel as a handmaiden of the Modi sarkar.
Zee News has condemned and denied Vishwa Deepak’s statement saying that he was not associated with the coverage of the JNU crisis. It added that it has submitted the raw footage of the students sloganeering to the Delhi police and is awaiting the latter’s analysis to vindicate its stand. Additionally, it has stated it has no affiliations with any political parties.
CNN-IBN senior journalist Bhupendra Chaubey on his part has asked the nation’s journalists to be more vigilant. Said he: “It’s time that all the top editors and anchors across the industry should start looking at the reasons behind so much of hatred and negativity on social media. We should all be careful about what we are putting up on TV in-front of the nation.”
With so much happening all around the world, it looks like a powder keg situation is brewing. With every passing day unveiling a new façade of the issue, the journalists and the media houses have to be fearless and honest so as to empower the citizens who rely on the Fourth Estate for credible information.
Freedom of speech and expression is a sovereign and democratic right of every Indian citizen irrespective of caste, community, colour and creed.
But what if somebody is using the constitutional offering to sabotage harmony and arouse a polarised scenario? Who draws the line?
Self regulation based on conscience, morals and ethics seems to be not working, but is a regulatory body constructed under government diktat, a safer option?
On the other hand, the Press in India has more freedom as compared to many other countries. But how is it helping the nation? If Goswami says no, then Barkha Dutt will contradict with a yes. If Zee News says galat (wrong), Aaj Tak will say sahi (correct). Even as journalists are marching on the road and news channels are resorting to visual effects, is anyone thinking on what the repercussions this will have on the millions following them? Certainly not!
The Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi rightly said, “The true function of journalism is to educate the public mind, not to stock it with wanted and unwanted impressions.”
That sagacious advice has been dust-binned by today’s trigger happy media. Decibel is the new decorum and views are all that is left in news, and TV ratings are all that matter. It remains to be seen, how long this craftsmanship can continue.
’Tis the time to really ponder over where we, as a country are going from hereon…
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
