Did Arnab Goswami Take ‘15 Crore-Anchor’ Jibe at Sudhir Chaudhary While Questioning Government Over Aravalli Hills and Delhi AQI?
The friction follows pointed remarks made by Arnab Goswami during his prime time show on December 19 on Republic TV regarding Delhi's rising AQI levels and the Aravalli Hills - comments widely viewed as a direct attack on Sudhir Chaudhary following his high-profile transition to state-owned DD News. Videos of Goswami's remarks have since gone viral on social media.
Mumbai, December 22: A war of words has apparently erupted between two of India’s most prominent broadcast journalists, Arnab Goswami and Sudhir Chaudhary. The friction follows pointed remarks made by Goswami during his prime time show on December 19 on Republic TV regarding Delhi's rising AQI levels and the Aravalli Hills - comments widely viewed as a direct attack on Chaudhary following his high-profile transition to state-owned DD News.
"Do you think Doordarshan will do a programme like this? Do you think Doordarshan is going to question the central government?" Goswami asked during the broadcast over the rising AQI levels in Delhi. "Do you think the anchors on Doordarshan who are paid - I don't know, 15 crore rupees nowadays, I am told - 15 crore rupee-anchors paid by the government are going to ask this question tonight? They won't."
Arnab Goswami’s ‘15 Crore-Anchor’ Jibe
The Republic TV head repeated the "15 crore-anchor" jibe when he questioned the government as well as the Supreme Court over the Aravalli Hills. "Remember one thing only Republic can asked this question (Aravalli Hills). The corporate media cannot ask this question. The political media cannot ask this question. The 15 crore-anchor, paid by the government of India cannot ask this question. But I am asking this question on your behalf. Who gains when 90% of a mountain rainge is removed from protection? Certainly not farmers... but mining corporations," he said. Who Is Hiren Joshi and Why Is He Trending on Social Media?
Arnab Goswami Repeats ‘15 Crore-Anchor’ Jibe
Videos of these segments have since gone viral on social media, with many viewers labeling the remarks as direct "potshots" at Chaudhary’s new role. Navneet Sehgal Resigns: Retired IAS Officer Quits As Chairperson of Prasar Bharati Halfway Through His 3-Year Tenure.
Sudhir Chaudhary 'Hits Back' at Arnab Goswami
Two days later, Chaudhary took to X (formerly Twitter) to suggest that the media industry is currently in a state of flux. "Aaj kal media me bhi odd-even chal raha hai. Aaj yahan, kal wahan" (These days, media is also following an odd-even rule. Here today, there tomorrow), the DD News anchor posted in Hindi, appearing to address the criticism regarding his career move.
The public exchange has drawn significant attention across social media platforms, sparking renewed discussions over Chaudhary’s salary and professional transition. Whether this exchange will escalate or subside remains to be seen.
Supreme Court Ruling About the Aravalli Hills
In a landmark ruling in November 2025, the Court settled a decades-long dispute by adopting a uniform legal definition: an "Aravalli Hill" is now officially defined as any landform rising 100 metres or more above the local terrain, with clusters of such hills within 500 metres forming an "Aravalli Range." Environmentalists warn that this technicality could legally "erase" nearly 90% of the range in Rajasthan, where many ecologically vital hillocks fall below the 100-metre threshold.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 22, 2025 09:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).