Indian news TV channels should take some of the blame for the controversy and national embarrassment in the BJP spokesperson-Prophet Muhammad episode. Their gladiatorial debates seek TRPs by provoking panellists into shouting matches and slanging sessions. Insights and opinions have become insults and entertainment. India needs to do prime-time introspection.
If Nupur Sharma is fringe, BJP must show courage to rein it in
An Indian envoy describing BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma as a ‘fringe element’ is ironical. It’s a fig leaf, because many fringe elements are now mainstream in BJP. Differentiating the two is a good beginning. BJP must show the courage of conviction to identify, isolate and rein in the ‘fringe’.