Friday 12 December 2014

Of "Modi & Black Magic" Remark & Media’s Penchant for Sensation Mongering

On December 8, 2014, journalist Vrinda Gopinath came to interview me about the performance of the Modi government and the controversy around Smriti Irani’s appointment as HRD minister.

I told her it was too early to come to a firm conclusion about Modi as PM but as far as appointment of Smriti Irani is concerned, I have not changed my opinion one bit about it being a disastrous choice. And my opinion was shared by a large number of people within the BJP.

Vrinda asked me if I had any explanation as to why Modi made that choice.

My response was if I could find a reasonable explanation, I would not have been so shocked. She then began hazarding her guesses and asked me if such and rumour about Irani was the likely reason. I said, it doesn’t sound credible to me. She then put forward a couple of other explanations like, “Is it his arrogance? He thinks he can get away with anything, even a useless puppet.”

My answer was the same that they don’t sound satisfactory to me. She persisted and said, “But there has to be some explanation!”

My answer was that  none of the likely reasons she had offered appear convincing to me and then I added in a light note, more in jest than venturing an explanation or hazarding a guess “May be occupying the PM’s office has disoriented him or may be someone has done black magic on him.”

It was my way of saying that like many others, I can’t make sense of his choice of such an unsuitable person to head the most crucial ministry. But next day when the interview appeared on a web portal, the light hearted dismissive comment about “black magic” was used as a banner headline.

I am sure discerning readers will read the line about "black magic" in the spirit it was intended and not be swayed by the sensationalist intent of the editors of the website.

9 comments :

  1. Madhuji, chodo na?

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  2. a veteran like you ought to have been cautous with a journalist like that ..who clearly was out to trap you..she made a "Smriti Irani" ought of you

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  3. You should have been aware of her hit job on Sunanda Pushkar. A hatchet job woman.
    Your fate much better. Thank heaven for small mercies !

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  4. Indeed Modi is bewitched by a new Coterie around him. They touch his feet. He believes in their sycophancy. The IAS babu have fooled him. There is a policy paralyses in PMO and all the Ministeries. Files are pending for 6 months. Modi is not taking decisions. All ministers are not taking decisions. The bureaucracy is laughing. Congress will be back in no time.

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  5. Madhu ji is nai coterie ko expose kariye. Desh bachaiye. Gadhon ko kheer khilai ja rahi hai. Kaam thapp hai sarkar mein.

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  6. Madhuji.. you are too fast to conclude on both of them. Remember ... you first attack on Modiji after 2002 but later you changed your opinions. Similarly when he comes to center... it might be his starting phase ..but he will show the result in the end!

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  7. Madhu, the pseudo seculars were waiting for an oppurtunity and you gave them it. Be careful in future.

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  8. Modi ji is not clearing files in PMO. KEy decisions are being delayed. WE the common citizens are getting impatient. Modi ji has shifted focus to politics instead of governance. Governance has become a big bureaucratic muddle. We want action on ground. We will not wait for over-promise with no change in ground realities. Shame on Indian politics that allows people to be elected by showing heavens to common citizens and fooling them by not performing and not responding to people. Shame on India.

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  9. Over the years you have acquired such a serious and earnest persona that no one expects you to say anything in lighter vein. Even a casual reader can see that you were speaking in jest. Its silly of people to make so much of it. Maybe you should joke more often so that people are prepared for that side of you :-)

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Madhu Kishwar

Madhu Kishwar
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