Here are the issues that the media needs to question Rahul Gandhi on, but they somehow never do.
- In Politics
- 10:24 AM, Jan 04, 2019
- Adhish Kumar Sinha
When it comes to the press or the 4th pillar of democracy as it is more commonly known, one expects the press to behave with decorum, maintain some standard of ethics, behavior and above all, ensure journalistic integrity in about everything they do. But that, sadly, seems to be a utopian idea as most of the journalists today would rather do a hatchet job than report the real story.
Given the hatchet jobs that most journalists carry out, we are often left pondering as to why the same media often continues to treat Rahul Gandhi with kid gloves? It does seem strange but not when you listen to Arnab Goswami or his re-naming some of the media channels as part of the Luytens coterie. Does this mean that these journalists who continue to treat the likes of Rahul Gandhi and others of the opposition with kid gloves as operating with an agenda?
Sadly, that seems to be the case, as a journalist is often tasked to report on a story objectively and present a cooked story rather than real facts and not his or her opinion. That seems to be happening more and more as a lot of fake or manufactured news often gets reported as the real deal. Perhaps it is time that we took a close look at some of the ‘incidents’ associated with Rahul Gandhi and see how the 4th pillar of democracy handled it.
Rahul Gandhi’s Press Conferences: It is no secret that Rahul Gandhi is not an impromptu speaker, has little to say and even that, he somehow manages to muddle it up. This is one of the chief reasons that Rahul attends each press conference, of late, with his bevy of admirers and close advisers in tow. A recent social media video soon highlighted the fact that Rahul Gandhi gets most of his cues on what to talk about or how to talk from the advisers around him. Recently, Scindia, advised Rahul to talk in a particular way and this was caught by a camera and then the video was shared online. It only makes it apparent that Rahul Gandhi does indeed take classes for holding press conferences.
Sadly, most of the media, who seem to be leaning left politically, are more than happy to go along. Contrast the above with this, recently Arun Jaitley was asked about the manufactured scam of Rafale, when it was anything but a scam. The Rafale issue is classic example of how certain media houses in collaboration with Congress manufactured fake news and turned it into election issue, which was later rebutted by the Supreme Court’s verdict. But somehow, the truth was seen more as an impediment and most of these journalists soon carried stories about how the government is desperate for Rafale issue to go away, which could not be further from the truth itself.
No Real Hard Questions Asked: Given the fact that some of the headliners on the opposition are facing several legal troubles, one would have thought that most of the journalists would have prepared a detailed questionnaire for them. There are number of issues embroidering Congress but Media is unable to voice single voice to understand the stand of Congress party. Either media is threatened or Media choose to forget its responsibility. Some of these burning questions are:
- Christian Michael and Augusta Westland: Recently, India managed to deport Christian Michael back to India to face the criminal charges against him. Christian Michael is alleged to be the middleman in the Augusta Westland chopper deal and is purported to have siphoned off millions of USD. Given this, naturally India wanted to question him and the journalists were after the central government for the same and even termed it weak and toothless. But India successfully managed to argue its case and bought back Christian Michael. What should be telling is that there are very few news stories doing the rounds on how effective the current government is as the main focus seems to be on the short comings of the current dispensation.
- Rahul and Sonia Gandhi Accused in National Herald: Both Rahul Gandhi and Sonia, his mother were recently and are still embroiled in the National Herald case, and the fact that they are out on bail, in itself should be telling. The facts to date borne out the fact that the Gandhis did indeed try to misappropriate properties worth thousands of crores and leased the same for commercial reasons. Once the 4th pillar of democracy became aware of the news did they asked real questions to Gandhis?
- Ex-Haryana CM Chargesheeted: As the ex CM of Haryana, BS Hooda was allegedly responsible for gifting several acres of land to Sonia’s son-in-law at rock bottom prices. Naturally, CAG and other investigative agencies soon found about the same, and eventually, BS Hooda was chargesheeted for the same. Of course, some of the media houses ignored the story for obvious reasons.
- Ex-Finance Minister and His Family Are out on Bail: Believe it or not, but the Chidambaram’s have all been charged with various alleged misdemeanors and are currently out on bail. As to whether Chidambaram would indeed face any jail time for selling the nation for profit remains to be seen. But not so surprisingly, most of the media houses did not run a single story for this, rather he is invited as panelist for discussing economy.
- Sandesara Scam Connection: Ahmed Patel, a higher party functionary and one who is close to Sonia Gandhi, are under the lens of investigating agencies with the Sandesara scam along with his son and son in law. The question, you need to ask yourself is how often did you come across this news in the last few months?
- Raid on Robert Vadra and His Connection with the Absconding Sanjay Bandari: Recently the ED investigated the case surrounding Robert Vadra, his close aide Sanjay Bhandari in a money laundering case. But within a day the whole story vaporized as nothing happened?
- ANI Editor Episode: On 2nd of January, 2019 crucial interview of Honorable PM Narendra Modi before 2019 general election was aired by various media houses, which was conducted by ANI Editor Smita Prakash. Undoubtedly the interview was well received with clear and tough questions asked by Smita Prakash.
Exasperated Rahul Gandhi in another scripted press conference personally attacked the editor and used the term “Pliable” for her. Even though, such an act was expected from the congress, the most shocking part was that usage of such personal attacks on media persons went unquestioned by media persons who were present as co-actors in that skit.
After immense criticism from various sections of the society, freedom of speech and the media, The Editors’ Guild of India released a statement attacking BJP and AAP but letting go Rahul Gandhi for such reprehensible act.
- Calling out Rahul Gandhi’s Lie on Rafale: Rahul Gandhi’s only hope for chair of Prime Ministership lies with the manufactured lie of Rafale, which is being projected by Congress party and its affiliate media ecosystem as possible scam and recreate 2004 moment of coffers scam, to generate some doubts in the minds of voters before 2019 general election to fetch few votes. This manufactured lie has been busted recently by Supreme Court, when the honorable court gave a clean chit to present ruling government from all wild, imaginary and unsubstantial allegations. But congress affiliate media instead of asking proof from Rahul Gandhi on such a lie, is trying to create a storyboard for pushing this agenda till 2019.
Media Persons Close Door Meeting With Rahul Gandhi: Recently, it has come to light that several of the Luytens media had hush-hush meetings with Rahul Gandhi behind closed doors. That in itself is surprising, and of course, the question that everyone is asking is as to what is the need for this secrecy? Due to media exercise Rahul Gandhi is so motivated with his scripted Press conference skits that now he is challenging others for conducting the same. Rahul Gandhi should understand the present India is not the one of 2004, we the young generation are more informed and politically sound.
We are left wondering whether the media is trying its level best, or in this case, at least the Luytens Media to repackage Rahul Gandhi into a more palatable politician by white washing him with a veneer of respectability and acceptability. Or could it be much worse? Is the media unable to play its role mainly because it is being threatened by the Congress party to fall in line or else? These are questions that seem to frame the Luytens media’s behavior and either way, it certainly looks like journalistic integrity, has taken a back seat and is showing no indication of coming to the front.
One thing is evident though, most of the media houses are indeed compromised and it remains to be seen if they would indeed have any impact in the coming elections. It is important, not essential that every news item you may come across in the paper need not necessarily be true as there are a lot of fake news doing the rounds as real ones, which are circulated by leftist ecosystem from India to International spectrum. That’s why, you may want to double check your news item and make sure that you are reading the real news and not something that’s fake and manufactured. As rightly said by President Donald Trump “When you see “anonymous source,” stop reading the story, it is fiction!”
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