Arvind Kejriwal, a novice in Indian political scene, seems
like committing political suicide by casting aspersions against the media
world. Mr.Kejriwal should have recalled that media too played a cardinal role
along with the majority Delhites which did help him to don the mantle of Chief
Minister of Delhi, though he was in the chair only for 49 days.
Moreover, Mr.Kejriwal ought to have taken some moments to
recall the wide coverage he and his party AAP (Aam Admi Party) got by the print
world as well as the visual media. Media world went an extra mile to elevate
him and his party to greater heights by calling the latter a phenomenon in
the Indian political horizon.
Actually what prompted him to throw mud at the media which
once helped him get a prominent place in the comity of Indian politics?
In the print world, the newspapers carried several articles penned
by many a gentleman or woman one after another who wrote in adulation of a
different party which was on the way to fight against corruption, poverty,
malnourishment and large-scale unemployment.
Similarly, newspersons in visual media spent hours to draw
the attention of the new avatar and they vied with each other to applaud
Mr.Kejriwal and his colleagues and persuaded him and the top leaders of the
party to dwell upon the immediate agenda in the event of AAP (Aam Admi Party)
being catapulted to the positions of power.
Contrary to high expectations the euphoria didn’t last long due
to the waywardness displayed by his party colleague Somnath Bharti, who was the
Law Minister under Mr.Kejriwal and by Mr.Kejriwal himself. The Delhi citizens
might not have forgotten Mr.Bharti and his followers’ raid in the residences of
Ugandan women in the thick of night charging them with prostitution. The issue
didn’t come to a stop there, Mr.Bharti got engaged in a war of words with Delhi
police Commissioner. Mr.Kejriwal in support of Mr.Bharti staged a fast at
Jantar Manter demanding the suspension of three police officers. The steps
taken by Mr.Kejriwal and Bharti was not taken kindly by a cross-section of
Delhi citizens.
When his govt was unceremoniously pulled down by both
Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, both the two sides of the same coin, both
are always at the service of industrial tycoons especially when the elections
are round the corner. It is not a secret that it was the Ambanis who covertly played
behind the scenes in toppling down Mr.Kejriwal’s govt with the help of two
principal opposition parties. The catalyst for such an action was AAP’s decision
to introduce Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly. Apprehending the
consequences, the panic-stricken opposition joined hands to overthrow his govt
since the Jan Lokpal Bill if passed in the Assembly AAP could have spread a
wide dragnet to bring the corruption-ridden politicians under its purview
thereby put the latter behind the bars. The filing of an FIR against the Ambani
brothers for hiking the charges of CNG from US $ 4.2 mbtu to $8.4 mbtu they
ensured that by helping both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party pull down
Kejriwal’s govt.
With power gone, an angered and frustrated Kejriwal
forgetting all the succour provided to him by the media world found a villain in
the latter and started throwing tantrums against the media for playing second
fiddle to BJP and Congress alleging that the media is caught in the paid news
syndrome. How come Kejriwal cast aspersions against the media which provided
him wide coverage since the party’s inception one year back and after that?
Addressing press persons in Nagpur his tirades against the
media was covered by a TV Channel which were subsequently aired on other
television channels and within minutes Mr.Kejriwal found himself cornered. His
denial of the allegations against the media naturally angered Editors Guild of
India. The latter in no uncertain terms took exception to the remarks made by
Mr.Kejriwal against it.
Kejriwal, a novice in Indian political scenario, must tread a
long path to come of age as a politician with conscience never leaving him. Now
that he is only a ‘baby’ among the politicians his throwing tantrums against
the media will have no takers. He should never forget the sterling role played
by the media in propping him up to the Chief Ministerial chair within one year.
By inviting hatred and anger of the media his so-called lofty
ideals won’t have any takers.
No comments:
Post a Comment