# Mumbai model Rhiya Ahir says audio was ‘butchered’ in Arnab debate 2026-08-21T11:28:58+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Mumbai model and activist Rhiya Ahir has alleged that technical issues with audio prevented her from properly responding during a live television debate with Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. The debate, centred on student protests and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), went viral online with sharply contrasting reactions. In messages to a channel guest coordinator, Ahir said the sound was "entirely butchered" and that she could not hear other participants except for the first two minutes. The coordinator responded that Ahir's voice had been "very much audible" and suggested she refer to the published video. Ahir also criticised Goswami's manner of addressing panellists, saying there was a way to maintain "decorum" even on a national news channel. The coordinator later praised Ahir as "really so funny" and said she had taken the debate "at ease". ## Indian Opinion Analysis This is not the first time a panellist has complained about technical issues during a live debate on Indian television. In 2021, several guests on other channels alleged that audio cutouts or delays hampered their responses. The complaint here points to a broader question about production standards in high-decibel debates: who controls the sound mix, and can a panellist verify whether the problem was on their end or the studio's? Ahir's claim that she could not hear others for most of the segment undermines the fairness of the exchange. The channel's published version, if it includes a clean audio track, could settle the dispute. No next step has been announced by either side. ## Coverage - freepressjournal.in Reports Ahir's complaint and Republic TV's response factually, without taking sides, and includes both sets of screenshots. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Arnab Goswami, Cockroach Janta Party, Republic TV, Rhiya Ahir Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/mumbai-model-rhiya-ahir-says-audio-was-butchered-in-arnab-debate/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/mumbai-model-rhiya-ahir-says-audio-was-butchered-in-arnab-debate/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/