February 28
Republic TV that claimed to have reached the Line of Control and have reported the recent escalating tensions from the Ground Zero, made a similar claim in 2017, August when an encounter raged in Shopian’s Awneera.
The news channel on Wednesday evening presented the offer of dialogue as “Pakistan Begs for dialogue.” other than shouting down the panelists, misreporting and distortions, the news channel has been often accused of exploiting the sentiments of general Indian public, by various people.
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On August 13, 2017 Republic TV, ran a Live reportage of an encounter that raged between Militants and Government Forces and continued for more 16 hours.
Hizb commander Muhammad Yasin Itoo alias Mehmood Ghaznawi was killed along with his two associates, Irfan-ul-Haq and Umar Majeed Mir, in Shopian’s Awneera village in this 16-hour encounter.
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Images and eyewitness testimonials available to The Kashmiriyat reveal that the reporters of the channel reported the incident 25 Kilometers away from the encounter site in Awneera area of Shopian.
The Image has been captured at Rambi Ara, where the reporters of the channel were covering the encounter. Ranbi Ara interestingly is 25 kilometeres South of Awneera, and is at the entrance of Shopian district of South Kashmir, the channel however claimed that the reportage was done from the encounter site- ‘Ground Zero.’
Omar Rashid, a Kashmir based Journalist said, “They had come to cover an encounter in Awneera Shopian, They parked their OB Van near Rambi Ara, standing only 25 kms away from encounter site.”
In the past too, Republic TV has been accused of misreports and distortion of facts. The Channel in 2017 reported about the Jama Masjid being in dark due to non-payment of electricity bills, which later proved to be a hox.
Funnily, the reporter who carried out the news pointed out to a lit board at the gate but it didn’t occur to him how the board could be lit when the electricity was cut off.
The news was exposed by Alt News in its article after which the channel deleted the news and video without seeking any apology or explanation. Actually the was fake news had originated from various Hindutva handles and Postcard News, a renowned fake news website.
The mainstream media is giving tough competition to social media in originating and circulating fake news. With fake news and distortion of facts and misreportage on rise, there is a steady decline of trust and confidence in mainstream media.