The N.D.Tiwari saga: the role of the media.

Reactions to the photographs of Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari cavorting in bed with three young girls have gone to extremes. I’ve heard people say that Tiwari’s behaviour was revolting and that he should be sacked for sleeping with women who were young enough to be his granddaughters. Others have complained about the fact that one woman wasn’t enough for him – he needed three.

Some responses have actually been admiring. On the day the Tiwari scandal hit the newspapers, most front pages had photographs of Manmohan Singh greeting A B Vajpayee on his birthday. It is no secret that Vajpayee, one of our best ever Prime Ministers, has not been well. So some wags made the point that a lifetime in the BJP aged you considerably whereas the pace of life in the Congress was much more relaxed. Tiwari is a year older than Vajpayee and yet here he was, romping with three young girls.

Others pointed out that Tiwari’s womanizing has long been legendary. When Veer Bahadur Singh replaced him as chief minister of UP in the 1980s, Veer Bahadur announced that he had purified every couch in the chief minister’s office with Gangajal because he knew what purposes Tiwari had put the couches to. And during the brief period when Tiwari broke with Narasimha Rao’s Congress and formed his own Congress (T), the joke was that T stood for Thoku.

On the whole however, Tiwari’s womanizing has hardly ever made it to the papers. Most journalists have taken the line that he has every right to sleep with as many women as he wants (usually at the same time) as long as it does not influence the way in which he conducts his political career.

That view has now been revised. Much of this is Tiwari’s own fault. A woman who was well known in Lucknow as his long-term girlfriend has now gone public with the details of their relationship even filing affidavits in court. A young man who claims to be Tiwari’s illegitimate son, has now sued him to acknowledge paternity.

However, the Andhra Pradesh orgy belongs in a different category. Anybody who has followed Andhra politics will tell you that most politicians in that state are not necessarily monogamous. Does the Tiwari expose and the immediate response it provoked – Tiwari resigned the next day – suggest that the media will now focus on the womanizing of the state’s politicians?

And if so, is this necessarily a good thing? Speaking for myself, I am still a conservative on matters like this. I believe in the old rule that a politician’s private life is irrelevant unless it can be shown that it affects the way in which he does his job.

If you go by this criterion, then the only way the Tiwari expose can be justified is by focusing on the back story. The Andhra channel claims that Tiwari was supplied these women by a person who had been promised a mining contract by the Governor. When the contract did not materialize, the photographs were released. If this is true, then Tiwari’s little orgy did have some bearing on how he did his job.

But even so, there are many unanswered questions. Who were the women in the picture? Were they paid to pleasure Tiwari? It is hard to see any young woman stripping off her clothes to join two other girls in a rush to satisfy an ageing debauch unless there was some financial consideration. If so, shouldn’t we be told? Moreover, were these women aware that they were going to star in porn pictures? What about their right to privacy?

Nor is the mining contract story entirely convincing. Governors do not award contracts when state governments are in office. Even if Tiwari had been supplied an entire football team worth of prostitutes, he would still not have been in a position to give contracts. Admittedly, he could have asked a Minister for a favour. But in that case, surely it is easier to send the nymphets directly to the Minister (or to pay him a bribe – which is the usual way these things are done in Andhra) than to risk giving this old boy a heart attack from too much exertion or too much Viagra?

I think we should demand convincing answers to these questions. It is not enough to carry sexy pictures of politicians only because we’re all thrilled or shocked. The media must establish why Tiwari’s privacy was breached and what social purpose was served.

And as for Tiwari himself, what can one say? Give it a rest, old boy, perhaps :-)

An astonishing vitriolic attack on 3 media luminaries.

Just came across this "attack" on three of India's top journalists while searching for something related to one of them - Vir Sanghvi.
I have no hesitation in saying that I like all three who have been denounced in the "attack" I have mentioned. Especially Vir. I never miss his columns.

As such, I intend to write a rebuttal - if indeed one is needed. But first I wish to bring this to the notice of the journos concerned.

The post in question is given below, but here's the URL, nonetheless:

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‘An’ Admiral and ‘The’ Barkha Dutt.

December 4, 2008 by theprudentindian

Naval Chief Admiral Suresh Mehta has set the tail of Indian Media on fire. Indian Main Stream Media mostly – Secular, Social, Liberal and Progressive (!) is outraged.

Admiral Mehta while addressing a press conference on the eve of Navy day passed some scathing remarks on the way media covered the recent Mumbai Mayhem and passed some strictures against the ‘reigning queen’ of Indian Media: Ms. Barkha Dutt.

This is what Admiral Mehta said.

When operations were taking place, the channels were reporting that commandos were being airdropped. The terrorists were in live contact with their masters, who were keeping them informed. Such minute-by-minute coverage can be detrimental to conduct of operations. We are disturbed by such reporting. […] link.

The whole world knows the way Media reported. They are themselves to be blamed for the way they covered the National Emergency. But then it wasn’t any thing more than a ‘media event’ for them (sic!).

Admiral Mehta did not spare Ms. Barkha Dutt and made an observation about her ‘alleged misdemeanor’ during the time of Kargil war. This is what Admiral has been reported saying…

Singling out a lady journalist from an English news channel, Mehta, who is also the chairman of chiefs of staff committee, said irresponsible coverage of the war had compromised the safety of troops and led to the death of three soldiers. He said this particular journalist had cajoled an army colonel to demonstrate the firing of an artillery gun (Bofors) to capture a great shot on the camera. He said the colonel was later dismissed from service. […] link.

As for the ‘alleged misdemeanor’ of Ms. Barkha during Kargil operation, you’re truly has no way to either confirm or deny. If just as The Admiral Charge Ms. Dutt with, it is a serious issue and need to be investigated. For sure, this is not the first time this charge has been made. And, let me add, coming this from a serving Admiral, this charge is too serious to be dismissed offhand.

I at least tend to believe Admiral more for the simple reason, I do not trust Media. Especially, the Sec Soc 24×7 channels.

In any democratic set up media has a role to play and is an integral part of the set up. But few individuals can not arrogate to selves or can proclaim selves, as the entire ‘media’. Media is an institution and no individual is above that. Ms. Barkha Dutt, A Rajdeep Sardesai, Some Vir Sanghvi is not entire media. Equating entire media with all or any of these ‘Maharathis’ reminds me of a Barua saying: Indira is India and India is Indira.

What I do not understand is: Post Mumbai Mayhem, when everyone is being questioned, why should the Media be spared and excluded from questioning/scurtiny for the role it played when the “operation flushing out terrorists” was still on?

Why should the MSM not be held accountable for its omission and commissions? Is MSM above law? Is MSM beyond reapproach?

Reacting strongly to these allegations against the media, Dr. Prannoy Roy, President, NDTV, told HT: The Hindustan Congress Times.

What he (Admiral) said is completely untrue and malicious. We have asked for a retraction and a public apology as these amounts to defamation.

Oh Ya Dr. Roy! Go and sue Admiral! How could the Admiral say these things about the Star of Indian nauseating News Channels! Right to abuse, slanders, cast apprehensions, destroy reputations, labeling and defaming people and parties etc. is the sole prerogative of Indian main stream media! Huh!

Another Star journalist of Congress stable; Vir Sanghavi of The Hindustan Congress Times, has this to say about theServing Admiral:

If this is the level of the navy’s leadership, are we surprised that the terrorists came in so easily? The Navy Chief should ponder over the damage his foolish press conference has done his service. The Navy deserves better.

Vir Sanghavi shamelessly hesitates not for a second to pass on judgment on the Naval Chief of India -who arose to become what he is, not because of his gene pool or the family he belongs too, but for his professional skills, commitment and service to nation. Where is the restraint and sagacity? Shame on you Vir!

At any given point of time, I reteriate, would believe the Admiral than a mere sycophant of Sonia. PERIOD.

Let Vir and his ilk come up with an answer.

The three journalists that Sonia gave exclusive interviews to so far after the drama – Vir Sanghavi, Barkha Dutt and the Master of all Rajdeep Sardesai – let them tell the world that the questionnaires were not given to Madame Sonia’s aides in advance?

Let these three people answer.

· Where was this outrage when Rajdeep sat over the tapes?

· Where was your ‘morality’ when a kid Aarushi’s death was slandered and made a ’soap opra’ on prime time 24X7 Channels? Has any of you tendered an apology?

· What the f*** did you do when a school teacher was molested publicly at the behest of another 24X7 channel?

· Where the hell was your outrage when a man was prompted to ‘immolate’ self in Patiala in Punjab and some place in Bihar while the cameras captured live and beamed live/ recorded?

· Let these Sec Soc journalists tell the nation and release the tapes of period when IC 814 happened and let the world judge how these guys (MSM) behaved post Godhara too.

· Let the nation know for what reasons Barkha and Rajdeep, along with the Secular Jehadi Teesta Setalwad were rewarded with ‘Padmashris’ by Madame Sonia’s Govt.

· What did the Congress rag carry the day of election in Delhi on its front page Nov 2008?

· What kind of survey did Vir’s paper carry on front page ‘Banner News’ the morning after terrorists struck Mumbai Nov 2008?

· What has been Ms Barkha’s channel doing by ‘spreading’ the blame on all political class for the failure of Madame Sonia and her handpicked Prime Minion?

· What did these guys and gals do when ‘Your President’ was being selected and imposed upon a Billion strong Nation?

· How much ‘expose’ you did when most of those witnesses in fodder scam commit ‘mysterious’ suicides or got killed in ‘accidents’?

· Did you guys have the guts to publish this photograph and tell what the ‘Hindu Fanatics’ were protesting about in Baroda?

. What probity you guys showed when Madame’s friend Mr.‘Q’ ran away with the money? What has been the follow up?

. Explain please why has this been not made a news item on any of your 24×7 channels or Newspaper?

Any answer?

No. Because In Rajdeep’s own words – with my ‘communal’ comments in between – this Journalist “Mange More” and “Hamam Mein Sab Nnange Hain”. Bikul Nange.

Another reason for the problem is the changing self-image of the journalist, and his role in a democratic system. For a long time the journalist’s role was seen to be that of an independent observer of events. But observation alone can be rather tedious and not very financially productive either. So, over the years, the journalist has chosen to move from the margins of the fourth estate to being firmly on the centre stage, closer to the first estate (read first family Sonia Gandhi’). Ideological corruption is as much a part in this process as anything else. A journalist can get close to a political party (read Congress), business house (read Reliance Anil Ambani Group) or an individual (read Guru Amar Singh) in a manner that compromises his (read the journalists) independence. Having acquired that proximity (with Congress and the Maino family), the journalist can then use his clout on a larger scale, playing kingmaker in cementing political alliances (we saw that you doing Rajdeep as you hid the tapes) at the centre or in providing the (Help winning the political and/or pay masters) link between a minister in the Union cabinet (?) and a business house (we all know, who and whose behest.) in need of a favor. (Yes, do tell us please: this is to serve the greatest cause of saving Hindustan from Communal forces?!)

PI asks these worthies…

Has Madame Sonia Gandhi given any interview to anyone else with the exception of Padmashri Barkha Dutt Ben, Padmashri Rajdeep Sardesai Bhai and still not decorated Vir Sanghvi? If yes, then name him/her please and if NOT then why? And why only to you ‘three’? Answer if you can.

Or else, Mr/Ms/Mrs/ of Indian Media; shut up.