Arnab Goswami new channel Republic TV
A banner in Bangalore announcing the arrival of TV journalist Arnab Goswami's new venture Republic TV.Shubham Ghosh

Popular news anchor Arnab Goswami is back after a six-month hiatus as the editor-in-chief of new channel 'Republic TV', which started airing early on Saturday, May 6. The broadcast began with a monologue by the man himself thanking viewers for their patience and explaining why the new channel was launched.

"When the unscrupulous legal notices came, you supported me. For that support, I am fortunate. The universe conspired to make this happen. Today, this Saturday morning, we dedicate this channel to you, your faith, your belief and your love. We feel swayed in your affection. My team is raring to go and charged-up," said Goswami, who resigned from 'Times Now' in November 2016.

Republic TV aired with a 'Super Exclusive' on an alleged telephone conversation between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and one of its leaders and don Mohammed Shahabuddin, who is currently in Siwan Jail on charges of the murder of two sons of former businessman Chandrakeshwar Prasad alias Chanda Babu and Kalawati Sen.

Meanwhile, Goswami's former employer also aired — in what seemed to be a competition to Goswami's Republic TV — an exclusive on how Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency was funding the Hurriyat in Jammu and Kashmir, which in turn was funding stone-pelters in the state, to the tune of Rs 70 lakh over the past few months. The exclusive saw several panellists debating the matter, with the channel's Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor being the lead anchors.

However, senior journalist and Indian author David Devadas, who was one of the panellists on the show, said that the fact that separatists and Hurriyat leaders in Kashmir are funded by Pakistan's ISI is known and that he had, himself, written about it in his book 'In Search of a Future: The Story of Kashmir' a decade ago.

"Money has been flowing from Pakistan since 1955. The fact that Pakistan has been funding things in Kashmir is not new," Devadas said during the discussion. Retired Major General GD Bakshi also said: "We all knew all along that the Hurriyat was funded by the ISI."

This raises the question: Did Times Now pull out a hasty expose to steal the thunder from Goswami on the day his new channel Republic TV made its debut? It seems like other English news channels had also prepared themselves for the battle. On Monday morning, people woke to billboards and posters of India Today anchor Anjana Om Kashyap being pitted against Goswami's Republic TV.

India Today's poster read: "Anjana Reached and Waiting", while Republic TV's poster read: "Arnab With You Soon." India Today's poster was considered as a kind of launch for Anjana as she looks all set to begin her innings with India Today.

Meanwhile, another news channel also ran an exclusive on minister in Bihar being caught renting out their official bungalows for private functions to make quick money.