Wife of deceased Congress leader Rajiv Tyagi squarely blames BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra for his demise

The wife of deceased Congress spokesperson Rajiv Tyagi, who died shortly after a debate on Aaj Tak news channel due to a cardiac arrest, has said that BJP spokesman Sambit Patra is the killer of her husband.

“Hatyara wahi (Sambit Patra) hai,” Tyagi’s wife can be heard saying in a video shared by Youth Congress president Srinivas BV on his Facebook timeline.

She can be heard saying that it was Patra, who in cahoots with the show’s anchor Rohit Sardana repeatedly called Tyagi “Jaichand” during the show. It caused immense pain and shock which probably led to his demise. “Although he was very strong…” she said while narrating the sequence of events leading up to Tyagi’s demise.

“These people killed me,” were Tyagi’s last words, said his wife on camera. Demanding a ban on such toxic TV debates, she said Tyagi was lying on the sofa unconscious when she saw him on Wednesday evening.

“I called the doctor immediately…and rushed him to the hospital…Aisa kisi aur ke ghar me na ho (may this not happen in someone else’s house),” she said.

Sympathizers believe Tygai suffered a stroke after hearing the derogatory remarks. “He could not absorb the pressure,” said a Congress activist.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Youth Congress President Shadab Khan has submitted a complaint demanding an FIR against Sambit Patra for spreading hate and slandering fellow debate members.

While demands for action against Patra and a ban on toxic debates grow louder, media analysts think it is not that easy as it is deeply connected with the political culture of the country.

“Most of the news channels have nothing to do with journalism. These channels work as a band-party of the regime. I do not subscribe to the opinion that these channels organize such cruel dramas based on incorrect information just for the sake of the TRP. Their shows are not limited to the TRP only,” said senior journalist Urmilesh who headed the Rajya Sabha TV and does a weekly show on The Wire on media issues.