Republic TV frequently asks its viewers to participate in online polls. One would think that a national TV channel would use this as an opportunity to highlight the critical issues facing the citizens and hold the government to account. Republic TV polls are instead all about the opposition parties, opposition leaders and any voices of opposition from the liberals. “The Nation wants to know” was a phrase that Arnab Goswami of Republic TV became identified with during his stint with Times Now. It seems that the nation no longer wants to know anything from its government. With almost no questions are addressed to BJP, the focus of Republic TV polls is the opposition. The channel relentlessly tracks every move of the opposition and attempts to build public opinion against it. Opposition leaders are hounded, questioned, shamed and asked to apologise. Let us look at the questions the channel asks its viewers. Which issues does it pursue? Who does it hold to account? Alt News looks at some themes and patterns. Rahul Gandhi is a recurring feature on Republic TV polls. Such is the obsession with him that it leaves one wondering who is running the country. Rahul Gandhi is constantly pressured to clarify his position, act, condemn and demand arrests. Not a single such demand is made of those in power. #EndCastePolitics | Should Rahul Gandhi demand the arrest of Jignesh Mevani? — Republic (@republic) January 2, 2018 #ChurchVsNationalists | Should Sonia and Rahul Gandhi make public their take on the Archbishop’s letter against nationalist forces? https://t.co/7hxD6umks8 — Republic (@republic) November 23, 2017 Republic TV completely overlooks any governance issues that have to do with the ruling party and directs its questions at Rahul Gandhi’s so-called mistakes. Despite its own very obvious agenda, Republic has taken the moral high ground of labeling the liberals as #TukdeTukdeGang. And somehow in the minds of Republic TV, it is Rahul Gandhi’s fault once again. #TripleTalaqBillBlocked | Has Rahul Gandhi made a mistake by not backing Triple Talaq Bill? — Republic (@republic) December 28, 2017 Has Rahul Gandhi made a mistake by backing the #TukdeTukdeGang? — Republic (@republic) January 4, 2018 Even Exit Poll results end up as a question for Rahul Gandhi. #ExitPollResult | Should the projections be accurate, could Rahul Gandhi have blown his best chance to prove his mettle? — Republic (@republic) December 14, 2017 The channel is fixated on extracting an apology out of Rahul Gandhi for real and imaginary insults. A similar demand has never been made of any politicians of the ruling party. Guess the number of times anyone from the ruling party is asked to apologise for anything? The answer is zero. #RahulDoklamPolitics | Should Rahul apologise for ‘Dhoka-Lam’ insult? — Republic (@republic) January 19, 2018 #CongChaiwalaAttack | Should Rahul Gandhi apologise for classist ‘Chaiwala’ tweet? https://t.co/ANRGcDZnAw — Republic (@republic) November 21, 2017 The Congress president is accused of trying to malign India’s image and apologise for it. Should #NewIndiaPlan work, will Rahul Gandhi apologise for trying to malign India’s image? — Republic (@republic) October 24, 2017 Rahul Gandhi is also asked to apologise for his party members. Same standards are not expected of the Prime Minister even though daily news is full of excesses and controversial statements by BJP leaders. #CongLeaderAbusesPM | Should Rahul apologise for top Congress leader’s abuse? — Republic (@republic) September 17, 2017 On days when Republic is not running a poll on Rahul Gandhi, chances are that it is running one on Congress. Congress is “exposed”, accused and maligned on a regular basis using the polls. #CongBlocksParliament | Is Cong taking revenge for poll losses by blocking Parliament? — Republic (@republic) December 19, 2017 #CongExposedOnAyodhya | Did Cong conspire to delay an amicable resolution on Ayodhya? — Republic (@republic) December 6, 2017 The channel’s obsession with Arvind Kejriwal has subsided of late and given way to new leaders like Jignesh Mevani. #CongSponsorsJignesh | Should Jignesh Mevani openly accept his links with Congress? — Republic (@republic) January 5, 2018 Shouldn’t Arvind Kejriwal resign after corruption allegations? #IsKejriCorrupt — Republic (@republic) May 7, 2017 Liberals are also favorite targets of the channel. They are unmasked, referred to as pseudo liberal lynch mob and frequently asked to apologise.