The CNN-IBN reports that:
Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi walked out of an exclusive interview with Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN’s Devil’s Advocate because he was questioned about Godhra. Narendra Modi walked out of the interview less than five minutes after it started in Gandhinagar on Friday
CNN-IBN carried the transcript of the aborted interview on its site and the reasons for the snub are obvious.
Thapar’s highly confrontational?pow-wow modelled on the BBC’s HardTalk has a reputation for playing up electile dysfunctional non-entities like A.B. Bardhan and for manufacturing news where none exists. With a title like “Devil’s Advocate” Thapar does not leave much to imagination on his intentions. Modi was perhaps being extremely charitable to Thapar indulging him in the first place. For Thapar who probably gets a kick out out of throwing whatever he can lay his hands on, this snub must have been extemely disappointing.
So what are the likely political implications here ?
This may actually play to Modi’s hands reinforcing his stereotype of english media and its agenda. But first let us nail CNN-IBN and Thapar’s lie here. Thapar’s peeve as Modi walks out on his interview is that Modi just wont say he regretted the riots.
Well Modi actually did that in a television interview on 25th March 2005.
“whatever happened at Godhra or thereafter was wrong” and “this sort of happening is not good for any? society”
“I am not against Islam. I am against jihad, against terrorism, against cruelty towards anyone.” He went on to say that any Hindu against Islam “is not a true Hindu”.
Well folks the battlelines are clearly drawn with the media playing up the riots again. Offstumped is watching……
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So the Battle line is clearly drawn:
Media, Congress, Mayawati, Supreme Court, Election Commission, BJP rebels VS Modi.
I hope indians(Media, Congress, Mayawati, Supreme Court, Election Commission, BJP rebels) stop living in history and stop talking about past.
BBC’s Hard Talk is quite a class apart. ‘Hard Talk’ is a positive statement. ‘Devil’s Advocate’ is a negative statement. The first thing that an interviewer has to understand is not to offend the dignity and self-respect of the person he is talking to. Karan Thapar has always violated this basic law. Meek personalities have refrained from appearing before the Devil’s Advocate. NM ventured to appear, but soon realised that ‘discretion is the better part of valour’. So there was nothing wrong in his walking out of the interview. The loser is Karan Thapar for his malevolence and malfeasance.
No one has ever won, at any time, by bringing out the devil in the other person. May Karan Thapar’s tribe decrease! He is absolute non-performer and against the sanity of the world.
You have set the matter right by bringing out fact from the recent history [2005] about NM’s views on Godhra and post-Godhra happenings.
The media bias will not listen to such facts on record.
People of Gujarat know their leader better than these ‘bad guys’ in the media. They will firmly resolve to correct this misreporting. As I wrote before in your another blog, Modi and Gujarat are more sinned against than sinning.
In my blog I wud title this post as:
“The Modern-day Nero runs away from facing Karan Thapar”.
If he had said what he said in 2005 about the riots then why run away this time. He could have replied the same way. The reason MDN ran away is bcoz had he continued, KT wud have had him in bigger trouble.
Remember KT is the one who got Arjun Singh all tied up on the OBC reservations issue which the C-R/RoC widely quoted and celebrated.
I am deeply suspicious of a politician, and a leader of any democratic nation, who cannot face the media of his own country, without walking out. Whatever, the provocation.
If you can’t handle a pesky reporter, how would you handle a pesky public?
Nitin,
Good Question.
Nitin, I disagree with you. Modi is not facing “media”. He is facing what even fools can make out is a vicious and determined campaign targetting him. “Have you stopped beating your wife?” is not a question to be expected even of pesky reporters. Thapar showed no civility. And Modi’s reaction is quite polite and dignified. I don’t think though that Thapar would learn any lesson from the snub. Doggie’s tail etc.
Raaj, Jyotindra – the media headlines on this episode say it all, zee news must take the cake with its headliner “modi refuses to correct anti-muslim image”
Nitin – Agreed he is not as media savy as say the late Pramod Mahajan was but he is not media shy either unlike a Sonia Gandhi or even Mayawati. He has not stayed away from giving interviews and nor has he subjected himself only to stage managed and pre-scripted appearances. If anything almost all of his media interviews have been hostile. He could have refused KT to begin with but he still chose to persist. So I would still give him the benefit of the doubt.
RS – why hand CNN-IBN on a platter soundbites which will be manipulated to manufacture headlines ?
Well, I agree with Nitin that Modi made a mistake walking out of the interview, I think he had reasons. I’m sure you have (if not please do) seen the video of (or been there) Rajdeep Sardesai anchoring Modi in the HT conclave. What venom, what disrespect, what mudslinging towards a chief minister who despite enormous provocation was still smiling and answering the most bizarre questions.
But walking out of an interview does sound bad. And CNN IBN made all use of it by not translating the reasons Modi (dostana rishta – maintaining friendship) gave for walking out of the interview. Sure people who don’t understand Hindi would have assumed the worst.
I don’t know what Modi should be doing. Answer the same questions for the rest of his life? Or do the job that is at hand, i.e the development of Gujarat. Probably he is right. As he said to both Rajdeep and Karan Thapar, aap apna agenda continue karo and mey apna!
This reminds me of Kota’s interview with Revathi in the telugu movie Gaayam.
Yossarin getting good at spinning too!
Balaji – saw the videos, yep it never ends. I think Modi did ok. He could have been more savy about it, no doubt but it doesnt matter. He has task cut out for him with the electorate and the people are not going to judge him on the basis of indulging or not indulging Karan Thapar. On the other hand it doesnt hurt to control the spin and his spin machine needs to do a better job of anticipating questions on the riots and influencing the media spin on it with perhaps some “turnaround stories” from the riot affected.
jujung – good one
Hi Yossarin,
You serioualy believe that the media “plays up” the riots? It could also be that many people are genuinely worried about what happened in Gujarat and felt the Govt. didn’t do enough.
Thapar began innocently by asking “Do you have an image problem?” Modi’s cryptic answer that it’s only “2 or 3 people” and refusal to elaborate made no sense. If he’s sick and tired of Godhra questions, he should state his stand and ask the interviewer to move on. I guess he was exhausted that day or some really smart electoral move that I don’t understand.
Thapar clearly crossed the line when he said “Just say it again”. Anyway his interviews are stupid and Modi saved us 15 minutes of nonsense. If the CNN-IBN audience mattered to him, he’d have stayed no matter what.
Hehe, I thought Rahul Bajaj on Devil’s Advocate was the worst. This is a new low.
Pramod – look that the govt of the day did not do enough is not under debate. with every riot from mumbai to gujarat to new delhi we have seen local law enforcement fail. the media reporting can be considered balanced if they actually go back to each of the affected communities and report on how they have moved on after 5 full years of peace instead of playing up sweeping generalizations sitting in studios in new delhi. fully agree with you on saving us the nonsense
Modi should have known better. Thapar is an idiot. It’s not about interviewing anyone but it’s about badgering the interviewee. It’s one thing asking tough questions, it’s another thing behaving like a small child. But then behaving like child is entertaining apparently.
Modi or any body from BJP and its cohorts will never get a fair chance with our media. It’s stupid to go and leave. Media can spin it anyway it wants because own the airways.
Will, Mr. Modi saab explain to me how he can’t be against
Islam when he is against Jihad?
Any person informed in Islam will tell you Jihad is indispensable in Islam. One who shies away from jihad is considered a hypocrite and not a true muslim, and one who gives himself in Jihad reserves his place in Heaven.
It would have been better had he not been politically correct. But thats something Modi can’t afford.
Nitin has hit the nail on the head. In a democratic polity, if you can’t handle the heat, please get out of the kitchen (politics that is, not walk out from an interview with an unreasonable and irritating anchor). This does no good to Modi’s ambitions for a national launch, post Gujarat elections. Advani can breathe easy for some more time, before Rajnath again springs a surprise from the RSS or Atalji. BJP should thank the UPA allies and Manmohan for not going in for the midterm polls – BJP, Congress and the Commies would have been the biggest losers. The regional satraps would have benefited immensely and India would have been the biggest sufferer.
There is still time for BJP to redeem the situation. As an aside, it would have helped his angry ‘middle aged’ man’s image and Gujarati Asmita, if Modi had really walked off in a huff. And not by sheepishly asking for a glass of water to switch off the camera and then quoting friendship with the anchor. Modi ought to sack his media manager and advisor pronto.
There is no point criticising Karan, because when he does it to the commies and congressmen, everyone laps it up. The boot is well and truly on the other foot. Makes for some great TV and some more lines on the blogosphere. It won’t affect the election results in any case.
You are correct. Karan isn’t incisive. He’s just rude and boorish. Tim he is not.
Yossarin,
An event can be given any “spin” as per the inclinations !! This is one such. Modi baiters may say “Modi runs away from truth”…and Modi lovers may say…well…”Modi snubs Thapar”
:P
I have only two comments. Karan Thapar and his program were not sprung as a surprise on Modi. He has a track record of being a tough interviewer. So Modi very well knew what was in store. And in fact the trademark Karan questions hadnt even started when Modi asked for water. Till that time the questions were quite tame by Karans standards.
Next, Gujarat 2002 happened.It is a reality & cannot be just wished away by not talking about it. And as a CM he is answerable. To assume that 95% of the media and the SC who has passed severe strictures against him ( not verdict I know) have all ganged up against him, is stretching the conspiracy theories beyond believable limits.
Ramesh Subramanian,
What have Muslims done to you, that you are spreading canards about Islam in a right-wing blog?
Nikhil,
I don’t think this was a typical Karan interview. It was fairly obvious that he had not done his homework. I guess Modi would have expected Karan to have read his responses in 2002, the supreme court judgments etc. Instead Karan started his childishness (you have an image problem, just say it again, I will tell you whats wrong with you, kinda nonsense) right from the word go. I think he normally resorts to such tactics only at the end of an interview.
Modi saw that this was just a cheap attempt to earn sound-bites and probably decided that this will only vitiate the election atmosphere in Gujarat. This election is not about Godhra as for as Modi is concerned.
Problem is with context, for Narendra modi the context had sea change since 2002. For media, to his surprise, riots still dominates context.
Having known Modi since my childhood, I claim he is no-nonsense at the same time very positive and sensitive person. During interview, I found him very uncomfortable from very first question with KT. As far as I understand, Modi is on severe fast during this navratri days and takes nothing more than fruit juice. Moreover, he is not very fluent with English language, and he always makes point that one should be fluent with English. In fact, he might be first chief minister to launch government backed English speaking classes in state.
On other side, Modi is savvy enough to manage such ten Karan thappars. I think we should wait for complete interview ar 8:30 IST today on CNN-IBN.
Balaji,
Well, I think he has a image problem. If an educated Indian today thinks the CM acted dubiously during riots, and he thinks he didnt….then obviously it is an image problem. And thats a lame thing to say to read what he said in 2002. It doesnt work that way. He will have to bear the cross for as long as he is in public life……or else come out clean and not convey an impression of dread at being asked about the riots. Development of state ( which is true) and Electoral verdict 2002 cannot be a shield for crimes against humanity.
And any and all interviews cannot be a attempt to garner cheap publicity by the interviewer. The elections may not be about Godhra…..but unless he himself dares to confront the albatross around his neck and he is honourable acquited by SC ( Which has made some damning remarks against him)……Modi will always be about Godhra.
Nikhil – that’s a load of BS. There is no criminal case against him to be acquitted honorably. Its a simple question of what the people of gujarat want this election to be about and as far as I can see not even the congress has made this about 2002. Clearly the agenda is about his record and the future.a fact reflected by where the congress is on its criticism.
Gujjuman – you have the ear of those close to modi, my advise is to preemt the media spin with some , real people who have turned around their life
Mr. balaji writes:
What have Muslims done to you, that you are spreading canards about Islam in a right-wing blog?
Canards? – Not on this earth!
Have you read the quran? or have you read the Hadithds [sayings of prophet Muhammad]? I reckon no. Have done so you wouldn’t have termed it as a canard. Your reading of Islam is not as good as your reading of Hinduism. Can I call your attacks on Rama’s morality canards? NO because you can back it up with the scriptures. & Mind you, I can back my claims with the quran and hadiths.
Modi could have very said I am against Islam and not Muslims. I could at least agreed with that. May be his readings of Islam aren’t good either. But I don’t want to debate that here, if you do want one you can mail me.
Right-wing or left wing. I believe National Interest blogs don’t censure Freedom of Expression.
Thanks
Completely agree with Article. I think what Modi did was perfect.
Kalpesh
I wonder if Thapar made an agreement with Modi but didn’t keep it. If it was all about riots and left wing agenda, I really doubt Modi would have sat there listening the garbage.
But Thapar gives the game up in his last attempt to get Modi to speak – this is just about you image. What image? Did he take a poll among Gujaratis or around the country to see what Modi’s image is? Some idiots jumping up and down, day and night, about Modi makes it an image issue? Does Karuna have an image problem because SC censured him?
I personally don’t care about Modi because he’s not into national politics yet. But harassing someone while fasting is not an image of responsible media or journalism (nothing in the transcript about why Modi asked for water or talked about resting).
Modi did good by checking Thapar.
Whenever a politician does or does not do something, people will give their judgments according to their beliefs. What Modi did was a strategic retreat. One step back, two steps forward. He left Karan Thapar hanging by his own noose in the air. May be on a Navratri day, due to his fastings, etc., he might not have his full energies. But while Karan was confronting him from the beginning, he might have assessed his mental and physical energies and thought to withdraw.
He is a person who has always believed to lead from the front and there is no proverbial back stabbing of any of his political companions, recorded in his name. For him politics is a mission, not ambition. Profession, not at all. He is totally corruption free.
Congress is preparing accusations against Modi and his governance. So Modi will fight a larger battle on the electoral fields than a confined one in the ‘Devil’s Advocate’. This battle will be fought in each of the constituencies of the Gujarat electorate.
There is no albatross or Godhra’s past haunting him. If it were so, he would have never agreed to come to the hot seat. Or he would not have faced electorate in 2002 and even now in 2007.
One must grant that nobody is perfect. Modi is an individual who is accepting his weaknesses in public, and time again, pronounced to give him ‘death sentence’ if ever he has committed the culpable offences credited or rather discredited to his name.
To be sure, Gujarat wants him to be its leader. If Nation does not want him for his ‘hoary’ past, let it be so. Why insult Gujarat for that, all the time.
Read the following link, in today’s Times of India.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Narendra_Modi_stands_tall_amid_criticism/articleshow/2478075.cms
Jyotindra
I’d like to take Offstumped’s analysis further.
Karan Thapar claims that Modi has an “image problem”, and that there is a “perception” that he is “anti-Muslim” and a “mass-murderer”.
Whose “perception” is this? Sure, Hindu-baiters do have such a “perception”, because they want to push under the carpet the fact that a fourth of those killed in the Gujarat violence were Hindus, not counting those burnt to death at Godhra.
Congress party would definitely like to give currrency to such a “perception”, because its communal, vote-bank politics always depended on creating a Hindu ogre that minorities could be frightened with. (During 1999 election campaign in South Delhi, Manmohan Singh went to the extent of blaming 1984 Sikh killings on Hindu organizations. Sikhs turned out in large numbers to elect his BJP rival.)
Communists and their allied “NGOs” (the Gujarat High Court called them “anti-national elements”) also depend a great deal on creating and perpetuating such “perceptions”, because it is not merely politics for them, but is also a money-making venture.
Well, then, the “media”. The “media” is full of “perceptions”. It runs and thrives on its “perceptions” that run counter to commonsense. And since it has channels of communication under its control, it will try and push these “perceptions” as popular perceptions, by cleverly censoring out any questioning of those “perceptions”. Rajdeep Sardesai, the anchor-person of CNNIBN that hosts Thapar’s show, worked for Times of India during the Bombay Blasts of 1993. Soon after the killings, Dawood Ibrahim’s name figured as the culprit. Our anchorman propmptly published a leader in ToI, arguing that Dawood cannot be the bomber because he had cheered the Indian team at Sharjah and therefore there was a “perception” that he was a patriot. Ergo, the less said about the “perceptions” of these types, the better. At any rate, an objective, professional journaists brings to the table public opinion, not his own pet theories and prejudices.
In other words, Karan Thapar was trying to needle Modi with claimed “perceptions” which are just so much hot air; whose origin is dubious, and was not revealed.
Let us for argument’s sake assume that such “perceptions” about Modi do indeed exist. Then arises the question of being civil. There is also the perception that our PM is a weakling, that he is a failure all-round, that he is a sycophnatic loyalist of the dynasty keeping the seat warm for the price. Can you imagine Thapar putting the following question to MMS:
“Dr Singh, you have an image problem. You are seen to be the Sikh face of a party that murdered Sikhs. People are openly saying that you are spineless. They say that you are a family retainer whose job it is to protect the property till the legal inheritor takes over. How do you respond to these perceptions?”
You can bet your sweet bottom that Karan Thapar is not going to act that loutishly in front of MMS or Sonia Gandhi. Why is Modi fair game?
IBN and their brand of “journalists” have for long been trying to establish that abusing Modi is acceptable “journalism”. Modi has acted smartly by walking out of Thapar’s interview. By doing so he has not only made the point that abuse is NOT legit journalism, but also denied Karan Thapar some brownie points.
Some of these points have to do with Thapar scoring with his channel and the politicians that it roots for. Everybody knows CNNIBN’s poliitcal leanings.
More importantly, Thapar wanted his ego massaged. He suggested to Modi that if the latter would just “regret” 2001 violence, then the alleged “image problem” will go away!! Thapar is not a dimwit to seriously believe in this piffle, but he wanted to force Modi to say something that he can put down in his resume as a “confession” he “extracted” from a recalcitrant politician. Modi denied him that opportunity too.
Though I like your blog and writings, here I think, you are being a tad unfair. Karan Thapar is not Modi’s PR Agent or Marketing manager. His interview would necessarily have to present both sides of the story. If Modi thought it was not the right time to face such an interview he should have resisted right from the beginning rather than walking out of the interview!
It is interesting to take a critical view about things, but equally important to give credit where it is due. Be fair, Karan Thapar is the only one in media who doesn’t suck up to one party or ideology! He blasts them all and does what media should ideally
do i.e. keep the powers that be in check. Power is dangerous and goes to these politicians’ head even if they are ethical to begin with! Look at MMS!!! Methinks, we need many more like him in the media to make the politicians toe the line.
Yossarin,
Well, I do not understand why you think this interview was about Narendra Modi’s campaigning for Gujrat elections??
The people are interested in development – agreed
The agenda for elections is about his record & future – agreed
But what makes you think this interview was about his agenda or what Modi wants him to ask?? If I am given an opportunity to interview him today, I will also precisely be interested in asking him questions about govt.’s inaction/wilfull encouragement in 2002.
1993 blasts verdict came out after 14 years. This too will take its time. But SC strictures against him dont look too good. ABV himself chided him for not following “rajdharma” and later even admitted it was a blot on his administration. So like it or not….he needs to be honourably acquited. Electoral verdict & adminitration notwithstanding.
Shekhar Gupta asked Modi softball questions and was sickeningly deferential in “Walk The talk”,a year or so after the Riots. Most journalists oblige politicians by not asking hard, inconvenient questions, or confront them superficially without any follow-up questions. If they don’t, their access is cut off, they don’t get any big stories or big interviews. I think Modi expected to give a similar hagiographic interview to Thapar. I am glad Thapar refused to play ball.
LIke all fascists Modi doesn’t like to be questioned. And like all bullies, when confronted, he turned tail
[...] Offstumped has a post here [...]
Who cares about English Media. This is Gujurat and he gave a hard slap to Karan. Karan will be amazed.
Good Job Modi. Now we will talk about this after winning Gujarat election.
I think Modi gave a surprise to him. Thapar thought that what will Modi do when he is in front of camera. But thapar should know guts of Modi and his Gujarat.
Now let see who comes to Thapar for interview and how many people will see him after this that. Now he has to pay money for interview!!
Modi you showed that who is the real man.
Nitin,
In the US, a popular radio trick is this : A person calls into a radio show and says this to a musical guest “All my friends say that you suck big time and that you copy your music – but I disagree with them”. If you deliver a long winded response to this, the caller laughs his ass off at the prank.
Karan Thapar started off by having Modi respond to ‘mass murderer’ charges. You guys are missing the point here. Other BJP leaders like Ravi Shankar Prasad can look beyond that and move on. Modi could not. Perhaps he understood his own English language limitations and cut his losses. In this age of soundbites, even if he succeeded in answering the mass murder charges, the papers next day would scream, “Modi denies being a mass murderer despite public accusing him to his face” or that “Modi regrets his role as a mass murderer”. There is no upside to the interview that starts off with this tone.
There is a well known caricature in the US, where you bring on a crazy charge like ‘Sen ABC – what do you have to say to charges of sex with farm animals’. Agreed, this example does not apply to Modi, but this is an example of an ambush tactic. One from which you cant have a honorable exit. Your safest bet is no comment. If no comment is not accepted by a belligerent host, you have no choice but to terminate the interview.
All said and done, Thapar failed to keep his guest. People did not get to hear Modi on other issues. The interview flopped.
On previous comment :
Even ‘no comment’ can be twisted as “Senator does not deny charges of sex with farm animals”.
Modi don’t need Media or reporter. Reporter needs them as people wants to read about Narendra Modi. How many people know about another state CM?
But people are watching him as they see him as their next leader who can give some pride to their nation and who know how to prosper all people.
If reporter thinks he is not good image than why they just try to stop writing in their column and let’s see how will they get famous. By writing CM for nagaland,manipur,sikkim etc.(for those of you this are a state in India)
Uptill now I don’t even know who the hell is this thapar but today read about it so I think he got famous.
And that’s the reason they are writing bad about him instead of good. Noone likes good news.!!
i agree with above comments as this blog is getting famous too.
I immensely admire Karan Thapar.I have thoroughly enjoyed the way he has methodically exposed the hypocrisy, incompetence and cynical nature of politician covering the complete political spectrum-right, left, centre and Samajwadi.
It does not reflect well on a politican from one of India’ only democratic party to display streak of intolerance even if it happened as a consequence of relentless but deliberately confrontational questioning by Thapar.BJP -better realise the luxury of no media scrutiny is for family political enterprises and political demigoddessS
However the larger point here is something what Oldtimer is articulating so brilliantly and what Yossarin has written several times before.-the bias of leftist ‘babalog’ media
I think it was Salil Tripathi who had written about Rajdeep sardesai’s interview with Sonia Gandhi in the early days of CNN-IBN- it looked more like a abysmal attempt by sycophant Congressman to bag the party ticket for South Mumbai seat rather than media professional discharging his honesty duty by grilling a politican.
In contrast,the condescending and disparaging tone that Rajdeep Sardesai adopted in HT summit with Modi, betrayed the snobbery of elitist,leftist English media .I can hardly decipher why Sardesai nurses such a huge ego(remember the memmorable article-Junior Sardesai asking his papa why Kalam uncle is at his feet ) .It does help to have a influential father-in-law to forge a successful career but that dose not mean that humility becomes casualty .’Babalog’ like Sardesai being spinmaster for Family enterprises like Congress should comes as no suprise
In the same summit, Sangvi-Sonia interaction was beautifully scripted and amazing enacted.When Sonia Gandhi was asked by sycophant Sangvi,why she entered politics ,without battling a eyelid Sonia lied -’The forces that killed my husband were gaining ground and hence i decided to take the plunge”.Apparently the allusion was to BJP.WEell i know BJP has been accused of being involved in several conspiracies but this was mind blogging
If Sanghvi was not a Congress pimp that he is but a true Media camapaigner who honors the ethics of his profession,he would have called the bluff and pointed
out she is in perfectly co-habitation/ALLianNCE with the party that she had accused of being responsible for her HUSBAND’DEATH.Remeber the reason why Congress withdraw support for Gujral Government.The demand was to drop DMK minister who were implicated by the Jain Commission for being involved in the assasination of Rajiv Gandhi.Remeber how Narasimha Rao was subject to torture by family retainers for going ’slow’ on investigating Rajiv ‘ assasination
BJP should learn a thing or two from Mayawati.Display disdain for them and shun them completely.I dont know why some of the publicity hungry BJP leaders court media desperately.Modi was maintaing a wonderful distance from them.Not sure why he is seen more often these days
BTW its not that blood thirsty Indian media will be satisfied if Modi had submitted to their questining.Remeber how they keep demonising Advani.True gentleman politican and completely democratic , the man has given his side of the take on several contentious issues. Take it or leave, atleast you know here is a man who shares his definite views and thoughts on national issues.
Yossarin,
You have the habit of putting History in right perspective.
The following link in Times of India after Modi won 2002 elections, by Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar is worth reading at this crucial juncture.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/31985762.cms
Few excerpts:
“Too many journalists have proved guilty of projecting wishful thinking as analysis. Despite widespread media criticism, Narendra Modi won a landslide victory in Gujarat. Many journalists are now trying to explain lamely why they were wrong, and some hope he will be tamed or diminished in his second term.
I see things differently. I see Narendra Modi as a future Prime Minister of India, possibly even the next one. The prospect does not fill me with joy, but analysis is not about joyfulness. Just look around for young politicians who can move the masses, who can be more than regional leaders and make a national impact. I see no new faces, in or outside the BJP, to match Modi.”
or this one
“Others will win from time to time. But unquestionably the jehadi phenomenon has created a bright future for the BJP, and for Narendra Modi.” [2002 observations]
It requires great sportman’s spirit to accept defeat for your perceptions as the writer here has shown.
Karan Thapar, Rajdeep Sardesai will not do so for reasons best known to them. And yet they are brave persons. What an irony!
Title: More fall prey to police firings in Gujarat
Author: Sanjay Pandey
Publication: Times of India
Date: Apr 28, 2002
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_ID=8283550
IN GRAPHS
http://www.intellibriefs.com/images/postodhra.gif
well well well…
if Modi is so guilty of not facing Karan thapar, he is also a hero for trashing Rajdeep Sardesai and others in the recently concluded Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
do watch these video clips!
Modi’s recent speech in Hindustan Times summit
I have never really respected Karan Thapar, simply because from what I could see, he tries to be a bad imitation of various prominent American and British interview journalists.
The problem is, those of us who have seen such people in action realize where their power lies…they know how to interact with their subjects and draw them out of their shells with subtleties and TACT.
Karan Thapar simply harasses his guests and usually picks a single agenda item which he goes on and on about, eliciting little serious response…therefore, I find watching or even reading his interview transcripts pointless…he did not achieve anything! Maybe CNN-IBN’s sponsors can buy him some award for “hard-hitting” or “cutting-edge” journalism, as it would be called in the West. Once again, an example of India taking cultural aspects of the West, sucking out all of the positive from it, and then proceeding to turn it into something positively stomach-churning. Thats all I have to say.
hats off to NM. He had courage to walk off.
Indian media never never had any constructive
interview. I want to see Karna Thapar facing off Lallu Yadav similarly.
Did he ever interview Lalu Yadav about his gunda raj in Bihar? can he show courage to ask tough questions about Lalu’s corruption
Why Modi had to worry his image problem.
It’s been 5 years since Godhara incident, what is status of Muslims in Gujarat? They are more prosperous then any other state. Visit Dhalgarvad and Tin Darvaja and see Muslim businessmen.
Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan are product of Gujarat.
Did ever Karan investigated Congress roles in any of riots that Gujarat witnessed since 1960?
History is proof. Compare numbers of Communal riots
between 1960 and 1995 and that of between 1995 and 2007.
Did ever Karan raised one question why Sabarmati express has to be burnt by Muslims and whose hand was benind that?
Is he going to question Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi
about Sikh killings by Indira Gandhi and why she had to bring emergency in early 1970’s?
Janpar wrote:
Karan Thapar simply harasses his guests and usually picks a single agenda item which he goes on and on about, eliciting little serious response…therefore, I find watching or even reading his interview transcripts pointless…he did not achieve anything!
This is sheer hypocrisy. When the same Karan Thapar does it to Arjun Singh or non-BJP folks it is okay. Right?
KT does two types of programmes. One is “Devil’s Advocate” where the brief is to play what the title means. So depending upon our biases KT becomes a hero or a villian.
The other porgramme is “India Tonight” on CNBC at 10.30pm weekdays. This one IMO is the best current-affairs programme on Indian TV. Here he takes up one issue and for the next 20-25 mins u dont wanna touch the remote.
If the opposition in Gujarat is smart, then they easily use this blunder of the modern-day Nero to tarnish his image. Just play it up by asking what Nitin asked.
“If the opposition in Gujarat is smart, then they easily use this blunder of the modern-day Nero to tarnish his image.”
RS,
You do not understand the Gujarati mindset, that is why your suggestion will not work. All the BS we were force fed about “All Indians are my brothers and sisters” has corrupted public thinking. On top of that to justify bad behaviour by Muslims the psecs came up with this mantra that “all people are the same everywhere” which was also continuously force fed into us.
These assumptions are bogus.
Even in the US they have a stereotype about the no nonsense New (pronopunced as Noo) Yorker versus the full of nonsense Californian. In general a business community does not like to waste time and spend lots of time listening to BS – cuz buddy “Time is Money”
Modi’s reaction to Thapar was Gandhian. He parted with the wish to keep up friendship. He even asked Thapar to go on with his views against him. If Thapar enjoyed the privilege of putting awkward questions, rather keep hammering them on the face of the interviewee, Modi had also the privilege to reply, not to reply, or to walk out of the session respectfully. Modi has not lost his stature. It was a silent non-violent protest against Thapar’s style. Perfect as Mahatma Gandhi would have wished. No ill-will nor any counter accusations.
The Congress is preparing Charge-Sheet against ‘Nero’ and spread its charges far and wide. So why worry about non-event that it was Thapar’s style. Modi is to face a huge battery of innuendos and right or wrong charges against him.
The winner in the end will be Gujarat’s electorate. Its judgment will be final. No revision or appeal against it in Supreme Court or anywhere else.
Modi has indeed disappointed Karan Thapar and those backing his style by not admitting his ‘guilt’ nor making any efforts to improve his ‘image’ before the whole world. Modi is indeed neither a ‘hero’, nor a ‘zero’ nor a ‘Nero’. He is Modi himself. Back him or ditch him.
yossarin, gujjuman and all : why is modi looking so nervous.
is it because really he is uncomfortable with the english language ?
that really is a non-issue in development.
i know an mp who speaks great english.
his constituency : Mumbai North West
his name : your guess
pragmatic : thanks for the links
modi trashed rajdeep royally with his saffron-kurta take on
reinforces people’s view on rajdeeps moronics !
Also, any perspective from gujrat , that is , any blogs/views on modi’s water irrigation ,babu reforms and ‘jyoti gram’ projects…
No English Language Media types please where the median is perennially below common sense ..
I have never thought Karan Thapar is an intelligent interviewer, nor do I think he had some terrific questions at Modi. But a man who cannot even face such silly questions, how can he be called a chief minister. And it is more funny to see all the pride Gujaratis getting angry about Thapar. Are you all blind?
It is the big mistake by media that they avoid confrontational questions at our politicians, which has costed us dearly. And when someone asks, he is blamed, not the politician. Oh my India. I am sorry!!!
Modi has proved again that he is just an ordinary Coward, not even worth being called a Hindu. He cannot even face an interview, and still boasts about Gujarati pride.
It is hilarious that when the ball is in their Goal, Modi and the other cowards are so wary of time. “Ask us or talk us only about the present”. But when it comes to elections these stupid guys only talk about the Muslim invasion or Babri Masjid or even God RAM,all things that might or might not have happened centuries ago.
I have been to Gujarat only once, and decided will never step back in that fanatic state any more. It felt like being in Israel. Bravo Modi.
I can only say that all the hypocrates and so – called secular media and politicians have got the problem with N modi. No body talks about the burning train. Also the development Gujrat has witnessed during Modi tenure ispite of all flood, earthquake.
As for as KT is concerned he is not botherd abt country develpment and social harmony.They are seeing their TRP. People who r criticising should watch Modi interview with Arnab Goswami at Times now Last Sunday 8.30 pm. All these media people are already criticising Modi for last 5 years but they should note that it is Only Gujrat people who are going to decide. Why they are making Chill-Poo
IF THERE IS ONE NON-HYPOCRATIC POLITICIAN OR HUMAN BEING IN INDIA, WHO CARES FOR PEOPLE, SECURITY OF COUNTRY, SECULARISM – which is not psuedo, AND MOREVOER WHO DOESNT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MEDIA – IT IS MODIJI. Even Sree Ram should be jealous of him about how he does his Raj-Dharma!!!!!Ram would have never gone to Lanka to kill Ravan, he would have send Modiji instead, if Modi was alive then. How come Valmiki missed such a courageous man.
There is no doubt that Modi will be elected again. The proud Gujarati havent stopped thanking him for all the opportunities they got to loot, practice killing and raping during the reign of Modoji.
Yes, I dont have any doubt, he will be the CM again.
Shame on this land. What I cant beleive is that how can even the Women of this state be like this.
Dear Yossarin,
As the election approaches, Congress will dig out the godhra riots to beat Modi , because they have no other stick.He is BEST IN GOVERNANCE.
Ditto, BJP. They have nothing against UPA.so they dig out anti sikh riots whenever godhra red tag is pointed out. Holocaust is used as if it has any meaning.
Modi is a FANATIC as his naming of CEC of that time as JOHn William Lyngdow as if his christianity is more important than his impartiality. Only thing about Modi is that he is not having the guts to say he is against Islam because that religion itself is fundementalist in its present form. He is comfortable being in gujerat and this interview has exposed Modi’s INABLITY TO GROW. It is a loss to nation but gain to Arun jaitley, rajnath etc who are weak in administration. Mayawathi , a poor school teacher has grown AND GROWING especially her revolutionary equating IAS with PAS officers. This action alone will keep her in power for time to come unless centre does it soon or BJP follows in rajasthan,MP.
Hope Modi grows.
Janpar ,
“Karan Thapar simply harasses his guests and usually picks a single agenda item which he goes on and on about, eliciting little serious response”
You are 100% correct , Karan Thapar picks a single agenda and sticks till end . You should watch RAMJETMILANI interview .
>>If you can’t handle a pesky reporter,
If the pesky reporter is just being pesky for the sake of being being pesky, why bother? Some years ago Jayalalitha had cleaned Karan’s clock as he wouldn’t move beyond one freaking issue. Shourie was reduced to state that Karan doesn’t speak for entire India or something along the lines.
If the pesky reporter indulges in sensationalism, well he got a does of his own medicine. I’d really like the this pesky reporter to get Manmohan and pester him about his genocide in his own constituency (Neille, Assam) or ‘84 Delhi.
>>how would you handle a pesky public?
His administrations record in Gujarat speaks for itself. There’ll of course be those who’ll bark while the carvan rolls on.
I am amused that Modi is defined as coward.
I am amused that just because Modi did not complete his interview with KT he is unfit to rule Gujarat as CM.
I am amused that Modi derided an EC, who was impartial,but because of his religion.
I am amused that Modi could not leave behind his mask as a fanatic.
I am amused that Modi’s Gujarat is so so bad that a visitor having once visited would not like to visit it again.
I am amused that even womenfolks are not raising a revolt against NM, though they are raped, looted, day in and day out.
I am amused that despite all his shortcomings and ‘criminal’ acts, Modi is supposed to win the election.
I am amused that Modiji was not around Ramayana’s time, otherwise he would have substituted Lord Hanuman to capture and conquer Ravana. Incidentally, both the characters are Brahmacharis.
I am amused that for just 5 minutes’ appearance of NM before KT, he is accused of all the above said misdemeanours. By the rule of three, if he had completed his full quota of 30 minutes, really, hell would have broke loose against Modi, and he would have most probably been sent to the dark recesses of mother Earth.
I am amused why Modi gave a ‘good’ interview to Arnab Goswami of Times Now and an ‘aborted’ (by him, naturally) interview before KT.
I am amused that a short statured man, hefty in his body, is commanding attention of whole of India for all his misdeeds.
I am amused that Modi does not speak and talk fluent English. What a shame!
I am amused that Indians are fools wasting their precious time against this small man.
I am amused that despite having done nothing for his state, this NM of a man is staking his claims once again to govern or misgovern his state for next 5 years.
I am amused at lost sense of proportion of our people who leave no stone unturned to hate this little man.
I am amused at lack of balance of mind of our people who see potential threat from this little man when, if and ever, he arrives on the national scene.
Long Live India, that is Bharat. Your countrymen today are as divided as they were in the past to invite marauders from the north to come to India, to plunder and to loot and to rule them.
Morarji Desai once lamented in the open meeting: “Intellectuals are the greatest liability of this country”. I could not understand the worth of this statement more clearly as I now try to feel something worth in this statement. Nuclear deal, good or bad for the country? No agreement among intellectuals.
Till Death or circumstances do us part, NM is here to stay, and circumstances permitting, will deliver his promises to the state and to the nation. Such a coward that he is. If he can run away from KT’s interview, why does he not run away from the State?
[...] « Modi snubs Thapar [...]
[...] Mr. Modi made news for walking out on an interview with Karan Thapar a raging debate ensued on this blog and others on the biased role of the media with even a demand for right wing TV in India along the [...]
amused==yossarin ?
i am not amused
Dear All, This new generation of reporters have their roots in Godhara incidence. They have climbed to this level by vomiting venom against Gujarat. As a gujarati, I do not expect any more from so called intellectuals of India. You can see any talk show on any channel on any issue. Each will be diverted to spoil image of Gujarat. Here, I will say, Narendra Modi is also Gujarati and by insulting him everyone is insulting Gujarati sentiment. Any one who has spoiled image of Gujarat in world is indial intellectuals, Politicians and Indian media. Stop if you can befoe Indian word becomes liability for Gujarati otherwise it will give another partition. We as a gujarati prefer to leave with dignity and self respect.
the the Modi haters need to read this link very carefully and then make the judgments
http://www.geocities.com/hsitah9/facts_speak_for_themselves.htm
Ye Ye…Let me also join the club and feel ecstatic by saying Karan Thapar is a stupid ass
…Ever wondered that IIT’s can produce such morons 
mr. Modi don’t think about what people thinks about you .you had worked exellent in gujrat and people of gujrat understands you and will give you full support in up co0mming elections
Karan Thapar is unfit to be called a “reporter”. In particular, his interview with Arun Shourie on the reservation issue was ill-informed, poorly conducted and prejudiced. I have doubts about the subject knowledge of 95% of reporters today. Repeating questions constantly, and interrupting frequently do not constitute journalism of any kind. I do not find a single unbiased English magazine or newspaper, especially when it comes to the BJP.The extraordinary respect given to the ommunists,idiots like Laloo Prasad Yadav and morons like Mulayam Singh, and eccentrics like N.Ram is sickening. Recently CNN-IBN news said ” ….it requires someone like Laloo to give clarity to the nuclear deal…”! Really? What about Nitesh Kumar, struggling with a state ruined by the criminal misgovernance of Laloo and complete negligence of the Congress? Does anybody care to probe and report the dealing of the CPI with naxals, the Maoists etc? The Congress and the Communists need to be severly exposed. Does Tehelka have a deal with the Congress and the Commies? Is there a Christian nexus? (Evangelists-Sonia-Tehelka).
Now even France’s president abruptly ended a “60 Minutes” interview aimed at introducing him to U.S. audiences, dubbing it “stupid” and a “big mistake” and refusing to answer questions about his wife.
Both great Man with great thinking and courage!! One is President of France and another is Chief Minister of Gujarat and RSS parachak.
I think after Narendra Modi other countries President has courage to show off against media.
So interviewer like Karan Thapar has to be aware.
I have been to Gujarat only once, and decided will never step back in that fanatic state any more. The proud Gujarati havent stopped thanking him for all the opportunities they got to loot, practice killing and RAPING !!!! during the reign of Modoji.
Rajesh
October 22, 2007
10:46 am
I express my extreme sorrows if any of rajesh’ family members (mother, sister or wife etc.) are victimised in gujrat when he visited gujarat. I condemn such incidence. and i ask whole blogs to give their condolence to him keeping modi and karan aside. I advise him not to dare to visit gujarat. thanks god for his safe escape from gujarat.
One thing i come to know from above dicussion between Mr. Narendra modi & media that India will never be a super power.How my nation will be favoured nation where media is so negative.it’s time to talk about future not the past. When you see Israeli newspaper. It was the
Day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The
Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a
Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid
And a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The
Gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the
Newspaper, buried among other news.Look at our media now.it’s always negative & speak religious language only. If you see that new movie “GURU” ,abhishek said that to media ” aap jitna bhi mere khilaf likhoge me utna hi aage jaaunga”. because his strength is driven by public. Like him all the gujarati has all the faith in Modi. I am sure not sure but confident that modi will come out with more than 150 seats
AGAIN GUJARATI PEOPLE HAVE MADE THE GREAT MISTAKE BY
ELECTING MR. MODI AGAIN,AS HE IS THE CRUEL GUY,JUST MASTER IN MAKING PUBLIC FOOL BY GIVING WRONG COMMITMENTS.
SLOWLY SLOWLY HE WASHED OUT THE WHOLE PATEL LOBY WHO ARE THE DANGEROUS FOR HIM.
IF THEY HAVE ELECTED HIM AGAIN IT DOESN’T MEAN HE IS GOOD C.M.
BUT FOOLISH GUJARATI WHO HAVE ELECTED HIM
Dear Barat,
O…Foolish dont make Money,Remember rICHEST Indian Ambani is Gujarati but Indian first.
I dont know what community ur from And definately Your Community Most Intelligent….
But YOU ARE definately DUMB FOOL.
If Modi regretted the happenings in Godhra then why was he silent in the interview? By repeating what he said in 2005 would certainly have enhanced his image. Instead he terminated it. This was a shame.