A Rebuttal to Barkha Dutt’s letter to PM Modi
- In Current Affairs
- 10:13 PM, Feb 24, 2016
- Parag Amalnerkar
Ms. Barkha Dutt, In spite of my best attempts to look at your letter to Prime Minister Modi objectively, it fails to pass the muster on any account both to warrant this letter or a response from the Prime Minister. I am not sure if he will respond but as someone who voted for Modi as the PM like millions others, I believe I am entitled to respond.
After sifting through the dexterity of words used to convey emotional anguish here is what emerges:
- India’s future and democracy hinges upon the single act of the Delhi police arresting Kanhaiya of JNU fame
- That you took the trouble to visit Kargil when guns were blazing and subsequently multiple stories on Soldiers qualifies you as the supreme guardian of India’s national integrity
- That sedition is passe and dissent of any kind is “in” and it should be garlanded
- Modi is the Prime Minister of the BJP and not India
Of course there is a lot of sub text which also needs rebuttal.
Let’s start with your allusion to your younger days when you were covering Gujarat and much to your dismay found that Modi had started shunning English media and that has continued till now. I am sure you would know but for the benefit of readers it is important to spell out why. Modi met every possible journalist several times after the riots and in spite of clarifying with data on all the action that was taken to control the riots, what appeared next day in the news was completely twisted. Let’s establish a basic theorem-In a democracy people elect their leader and the leader upon being elected is logically empowered by people to make decisions on their behalf. Modi was elected thrice as the CM of Gujarat and then went on to be elected by an overwhelming majority as the PM of India. Therefore his choice of actions, when to speak or not to are empowered by the will of the people and me along with millions others have no quarrel with that at all.
Gujarat’s accomplishments have been recognized by the U.N in spite of the UPA government’s best efforts to negate them. Just which policy or action taken by him as the CM then and the PM then make him the PM of the BJP? The allegation by you and your ilk is semi -literate to say the least. 24x7 electricity in Gujarat, excellent quality roads – were they designed and provided on the basis of caste and religion? The distribution of 5 crore LED bulbs by the Modi Government at the center saving 25000 crores worth of power every year- has this helped only fascist Hindus like me?
From the time Modi has become the PM every episode that has occurred in any state (most of them in non- BJP states) you have been at the forefront to hold Modi accountable for their occurrence. The Dadri lynching, the Church attacks in Delhi and such others. The basic tenet of journalistic credibility or for that matter any professional credibility is applying the same yardsticks to every issue. If Modi is responsible for state issues particularly Law & order which is a state subject, then would Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh & the Congress not be responsible for the Dhule, Aligarh, Deganga and many such riots? Have you ever questioned Sonia and Manmohan of these documented riots whereas you continue to haul Modi over the 2002 riots in spite of the Courts and the people ruling in his favor? It is a two way street Barkha; just because you are a journalist it doesn’t come with a one way entitlement and zero accountability.
You state that some BJP leaders cite the sacrifice of Siachen soldiers in the context of Kanhaiya and ask Modi as to why doesn’t he question the act of a TN minister who posted Jayalalitha’s photo on the coffin of one of them. Did you question why Kejriwal shook hands with the Congress which was the epitome of corruption to form the government in his first stint? Had the BJP done this you would have been leading the charge that Modi is power hungry and BJP has no morals. Have you questioned Kejriwal on what happened to the slew of allegations against Shiela Dixit that he had promised to investigate? Have you questioned Kejriwal on how he exploited the murder of the young girl Soumya and put up posters promising 24x7 Security? Now of course he washes his hands off such incidents happening frequently under the alibi that the police force does not report to him? Was this not the case when Shiela Dixit was in power? One could list several such instances but this suffices to establish that your yardsticks for Modi and the BJP don’t apply to any issue or anyone else as long as they are not from the BJP. You mention OROP in the passing when you glorify your interest in soldiers- OROP was stuck for 40 years; it was PM Modi who made it happen. I don’t recollect a single positive story crediting him with it.
Now let’s come to your myopic and self- serving view that JNU equals all educational institutions and that Kanhaiya represents all students and their anguish which you amplify so well. For every Kanhaiya, I can line up 100 other students who don’t agree with him or you and are seething at him and you. Let’s not falsify the innocence of what JNU is all about. Allow me to cite just one piece of information:
The UPA government (not Modi or the BJP) had placed the Democratic Students’ Union under the watch list, terming it a front that provides safe havens for Naxalites and mentors new cadres. DSU is the one to have organized the ‘anti-India’ event on February 9 at JNU. The UPA government had told Parliament about DSU in 2014, saying such front organizations were mentoring ‘professional revolutionaries’ to be inducted into underground movements. On February 18, 2014, MoS Home Affairs RPN Singh told Parliament that DSU and other front organizations were shifting to urban areas looking for safe hideouts.
Now to your over simplification of the issue in your letter to the PM:
- Why could the JNU issue not have been handled by the way the Jadavpur issue was handled by the VC there? Just how was it handled may we know? No retribution, no action taken at least that we have seen reported (you obviously know more but is it the truth just because you say so?) which essentially means that the students got away with their anti-India propaganda and they are free to do so again when ordained to. This may be your definition of “handling”; this is not how millions like me see it nor does the Delhi Police or the MHA (by the way this MHA is also the result of being voted in by the people of India!).
- The VC and the registrar of JNU are on record that they were misled; the event permission was sought under the garb of a cultural event but turned into a “Bharat ki barbaadi tak” event.
- Just where did you get this information that Kanhaiya was saying “Azaadi” from “Hunger, poverty etc? That you think we are gullible to this extent is audacious of you. The might of the Government and its machinery is giving Kanhaiya the jitters and this why the twist in “Azaadi” claims. Just what does Poverty and hunger have to do with Afzal Guru and Kashmir is beyond my limited grasp.
- Lastly, Afzal Guru was hanged by the order of the Supreme Court after eight years of investigation for attacking the Parliament, no less. Are you suggesting that every SC verdict should be questioned and that too in the matter of National security and passed off as right to dissent then you are clearly deluding yourself.
All those who voted for Modi believe in one thing above all else and that is NATION FIRST. The reality is that the deadly concoction of the Lutyens network groomed on foreign junkets, plum postings (your appointment to the National Integration Council by the Congress included) and the infiltration by the extreme left in universities like JNU has been challenged by a new order. A rank outsider named Narendra Modi voted in by ‘aspirational’ class of Indians who believe it is high time India was freed of sinister and self – serving people masquerading as journalists is challenging your hitherto unchallenged run, it is a battle for survival for you and your ilk and that is driving your desperate attempt to equate JNU and Kanhaiya as the harbingers of India’s future. Ludicrous to say the least!
The day you start reporting what should actually have made NEWS (reporting facts that is), we may consider listening to you. Some facts that you and NDTV never reported:
- Crop Insurance Scheme: Lowest premium ever|Government to bear burden even it exceeds 90%|no capping| all disasters including inundation included. This is called “Problem Solving” Barkha! Not paying flying visits to farmer death areas and avoiding Karnataka which is a congress ruled state
- Power surplus and energy secure state: Coal auctions fetch fetch a revenue of nearly Rs 3,35,370 crore for seven states where the mines are located, besides additional benefit of Rs 69,310.97 crore to consumers "in terms of reduction of electricity tariffs"| LED bulbs subsidized distribution| Auctions to fetch 15 Lakh Crores over 30 years| UDAY scheme to help state owned DISCOMS to overcome outstanding burden of $64.8 Billion( classic example of UPA’s incompetent and dole management- this huge debt build up)
- Health care: “ Jan Aushadi Scheme” to expand coverage to 400 plus medicines from the current 45 and to be sold at 40% plus discounts
- Creating Job creators & livelihood: MUDRA Bank has disbursed 21000 Crores worth of loans already| targeted to help small entrepreneurs and Shishu’s| to help 2 crore people eventually and disburse 1,22,000 Crore loans to be given
- I know you are far too evolved to take any advice or pass it on to those you care for, but here is some nevertheless:
- Please ask Kanhaiya to finish his studies and avail of benefits that MUDRA offers and start earning his livelihood and also provide to others. This is a much better way of “ Azaadi “ from hunger & poverty. If he is bright and has ideas he could use the incubation and support offered through the START UP India initiative and provide jobs to others as well freeing them from penury and hunger
Your credibility as a news anchor is long gone, but your credo is clearly being seen as NATION LAST and that may be a tad out of sync with the mood of the nation.
I do represent the mood of the nation.
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