Something interesting is going on right before our very eyes, and it’s time for all of us to sit up and think about it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is becoming a TV god; on television news he is projected as the messiah, the builder of not only the new Parliament complex in the national capital, but also the architect of a new India.
Simultaneously, the Congress and other opposition parties are being systematically cut into small pieces as the ‘tukde tukde gang’, which oppose Modi for the sake of opposing him and therefore oppose India’s growth story too.
And in the pursuit of these twin objectives, politics has become a dirty word. This is troubling in itself, but it’s even more worrying when leading TV anchors make statements like this one: “What is holding us back? I think it’s politics”. (Arnab Goswami, ‘Is perpetual politics holding back India’s Growth?’ Republic TV).
Last Sunday morning, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar appeared at a press briefing to announce that a poll by a US firm, Morning Consult (huh?) had declared PM Modi to be the most admired leader of a country. He congratulated his fellow citizens saying that this was a big accomplishment for India.
The message? Modi is India, India is Modi, an echo of the infamous Congress slogan coined by Congressman D.K. Barooah, ‘India is Indira and Indira is India’.
Also read: Modi’s Central Vista project has a history-shaped hole in it
Modi 24×7
This point is reiterated by regular opinion polls on Indian news channels – during elections, especially – that say Modi is by far the most popular and respected politician in the country — by 1,000 miles….
In the past few months, there’s been another successful media gambit to project PM Modi: each time he moves an inch, lays a foundation stone, visits his constituency, delivers a campaign speech, inaugurates a mountain or a molehill (!), launches a scheme, or shares his Mann ki Baat, the event goes live on TV, in its entirety.
Since 24 December 2020, the PM has done one of the above on 12 out of 14 days. On each occasion, he has propounded his views on current topics like the farmers’ protests or attacked the opposition. These speeches are broadcast in the afternoon and repeated again during prime time. His Monday address to the jubilee celebrations of the National Physical Laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which hailed scientists and the two ‘made-in-India’ vaccines, went out live and was repeatedly televised.
Result? The PM is either celebrated or is seen and heard celebrating his government’s policies for various sections of society — and attacking his detractors. He is with us, virtually, each day, embedded in our consciousness by this constant exposure, like nobody else.
Also read: DCGI’s Covaxin ‘approval’ is political jumla. It reinforces idea of Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat
Royal backfire for opposition
Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, the Congress and opposition leaders are on the wrong inflection point — yet again. Where the PM appears positive, they are invariably negative — and since this is not a coronavirus test, it’s not a good thing. Be it Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, or Akhilesh Yadav, they come across as spoilsports who find fault with everything the Modi government does. Boo hoo…
The entire controversy over India’s Covid-19 vaccines illustrates this perfectly.
Even as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) cleared the emergency use of two coronavirus vaccines over the weekend, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav inched further towards irrelevance by foolishly stating with great bravado that he would not roll up his sleeve for the ‘BJP vaccine’. As if the BJP and the PM didn’t already own India’s fight against Covid-19, it was now handed to them on a golden platter.
Then on Sunday, several Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor and Jairam Ramesh, questioned the clearance given to Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin on the grounds that phase 3 testing data was pending.
It was the wrong PR move: the party ought to have left scientists to raise questions if questions had to be raised; it ought to have congratulated the Indian scientists and Indian companies for developing the vaccines and be seen doing that in the media.
Instead, they saw a red rag and rushed headlong into the usual trap: surely after six years, the Congress and other opposition parties ought to know, to their cost, that the moment they cry foul, TV news will yell back, ‘cry baby’?
The consequence of this was there for all to see: “Congress questions vaccine’’ became headline news (NDTV 24×7) as channels asked the question — “Why politicise vaccine?’’ (CNN News 18), “Ugly politics erupts over vaccine” (India Today) — all of which made the Congress look churlish and petty.
The party also presented the BJP with another stick to spank it with: Tuesday, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media about the “low level of politics by the opposition’’ that was promoting “foreign forces” instead of asking people to be ‘atmanirbhar’.
Worse, news channels highlighted the opposition demand that the PM must take the “first jab’’ of Covaxin. Wah, can’t you just see the spectacle, already? Modi, with his sleeve rolled up, taking the shot in the arm – the footage will play out for days on TV news and some will anoint him ‘Vaccine PM’. And that, as they say, will be that.
Also read: Modi govt’s proposal shows it wants farmers to look unreasonable, not address their concerns
Death of political dissent
But there has been collateral damage: politics has ended up with soot on its face. Each time political parties, other than the BJP, comment on policies, government statements, the PM etc., the news channels rise to defend them, accusing the opposition, of “playing politics’’ as though it is a crime. Isn’t that what political parties are meant to do and what the BJP does too, we long to ask.
Last Sunday, this viewpoint found articulation on Republic TV’s Sunday Debate with Arnab in #PoliticsOverEverything. Goswami wanted to know, “What is holding our great nation back?’’ And his answer was, “Politics has become our biggest problem…”, by which of course he was referring to the opposition “playing politics”.
Are news channels and news anchors saying that criticism of the PM, the government, and its policies — in other words, political dissent — in a democracy is unacceptable?
Just asking.
Views are personal.
The problem lies not with Modi but like the entrenched political class the lutyens media is also not able to digest the fact that a non English speaking chaiwala Modi is able to impress both the poor as well as the rich people of this country. Have the print and their fellow travelers in the media ever discussed about conversion to Christianity in AP under Jagan reddy or the antihindu speeches made by parties like Dmk,dk in tamilnadu in the August company of Christian, Muslim religious leaders. The meaning of secularism in India for the secular media, political parties is antihindu and prominorities. So the print can keep cribbing about the rise of Modi as a icon and the failure of their favorite leader Rahul Gandhi.
Has that Pappu fellow returned to India after meeting his Chainese & Porkistani friends?
Moron has 2 and half brain cells; but he is a Prince and that should be enought for India right?
Only a Chaiwallah stands between him and his inherited birthright. Surely Moron can take this game away easily? After all he has powerful Chaiknees friends, Porkies and even the V@tican in his corner – all against a simple little Chaiwallah.
Absolutely spot on! Good article…….
Mr.Modi works selflessly for the nation. This is not visible to most of pro-ex Dynasty journalists and their family retainers due to wearing of vision impairing spectacles by them. There was a very good song in a great movie — MERA NAAM JOKER , चश्मा उतारो फिर देखो यारो , दुनिया नई है ,चश्मा पुराना — meaning World had changed, Change your old DARK LOOKING gogles , these has became outdated. Is it not surprising that journalists who claim to be torch-bearer of नई रोशनी – new light for their readers are depriving themselves the glow of spectrum of beautiful lights of rainbow of growth of the nation which was marred in slow growth, corruption, psudo-secularism , psycho-secularism , terrorism and scant regard to nations internal and external security under dynasty rule. ??? The common man of India have gone miles ahead of your laziness or ideological baggage. Alleged Failure of demonetization had not dented Modi s image. So is with Protest against CAA . Remember , The present protest by the rich farmers and middleman of Mandies will not harm his image . Most of the people appreciate the professional way in which Covid -19 has been handled by Medical and non-medical professionals under guidance of Modi Ji. चश्मा उतारो फिर देखो यारो , दुनिया नई है ,चश्मा पुराना !
Modi is nobody. It is media and the opposition which is making him what he is! He is doing his work sincerely, honestly and diligently and with a sense of purpose- one may or may not agree with him. Rest is all interpretation and non sense!
Shailaja Bajpai is secretly in love with Arnab. I hope Arnab returns her affections once in a while.
“….. that criticism of the PM, the government, and its policies — in other words, political dissent — in a democracy is unacceptable?”
Not only is it perfectly acceptable but is rather necessary. However, the necessary condition, while carrying out such activity is that the ‘criticism’ needs to be CONSTRUCTIVE and BONFIDE.
The constructive criticism goes beyond diagnosing shortcomings and offers corrective steps and other better alternatives if any.
Bonfide determines the intentions i.e. whether the thrust of criticism and dissent is to improve the situation or simply demolish the
the edifice and sow discontent and disorder.
A constructive criticism with good intentions is legitimate function of responsible opposition that is missing. SAD
BBSUD
Amazing!..the activist who would like to be known as a columnist has an interesting point to make.
The churlish attitude of the opposition should be something different. Well, the thing is that those worthies are so short sighted and hate Modi so.much that they would rather trash the country than think in a straight line.
After all, if people drop dead with Covid in the streets it will definitely look bad on Modi. With this desire they lose their sense of proportion and would secretly wish it upon the country. That’s the reason they must oppose any good thing that might happen to the country. And this columnist is so disappointed with it.
Talking of ‘news channels” in one breath, she mentins only Arnab Goswami, the hate.figure of the liberrati. Dear me..there are many more channels and majority of them aren’t too kind to the PM historically. But one can understand the columnist’s angst. Most other channels do not command as much attention. Wonder why?. Tch tch.
This meltdown will continue. So we have to live with it. After al, hope we remeber PC, the darling finance.minister of yesteryears had said that Modi’s knowledge of foreign affairs could barely be written on the back of a postage stamp? …..keep your chin up, columnist. Lots of.blows to look forward to in 2024 and beyond as well.!
Your angst is understandable.
A opposition’s word will be respected when they appreciate the good and oppose whats wrong, like Tharoor did earlier. And yet, he was put in place for doing the right thing. Without that credibility, all we see is just negativity without an alternate solution.
Yes very difficult to tolerate for those who believe only one family is God.
I think you also know what is the meaning of playing politics in this context. It means when you are opposing something just for the sake of opposing a government. There are plenty of opportunity to oppose and that should be based on the ideology, e.g. communist opposing privatization or congress opposing something on secularism. But when people negate their own stand just to oppose the government it dents their own credibility.
there is enough criticism about the govt. and modi in particular. actually enough and more. what you are questioning is the right of the others to defend it whatever way they seem fit. tukde tukde gang, anti national and all. you cannot tell them to stop it. you can take it or leave it.
I believe that a person who is Indian at heart, and who is a patriot in the sense that the love, respect and care for his country is above all else for him/her, will not see anything wrong in what Modiji is doing for India. It’s a shame, that no previous minister was able to do even a fraction of this. I can only praise and admire the kind of love Modiji must feel for his country and country people. I am proud to have him as the Prime Minister. He is the real-world super-hero.
While I get your point but your article itself looks like “Cry baby” ?
Narendra ‘TV Anchor’ Modi
If news are playing too much of modi then why this article on him.
I’ve always liked Ms. Bajpai’s media columns, but this one above, takes the cake. She is spot on with the problems we face with Our Dearly Beloved Leader and his sycophants, but very sad what she has to say about the opposition. Don’t they read any more??
The views of Baruah were the views of congrass and it’s rented journalist and undereducated jhollawallas. She was in reality an epitome of CASTIEST and communal politics like her father.
Whereas MODIJI is looked as somebody who is a practising HINDU, also who has no other “karmbhumi n Punyabhumi” like HINDUS other than INDIA.
Journalists supporting congrass cannot assure victory by fake propaganda against MODIJI. IT’S time they stand OPENLY with their political masters.
There is nothing harm if he is so popular. And it is important to know that the Oposition and People have made him popular and not media..
It’s not that way , for each and every issue in any corner of the country , opposition make it like Modi is the reason and end up discussing about him every day
Smt Shailaja Bajpai looks very unprofessional, if not downright silly, when when writes “Morning Consul (huh?). Even a simple fact checking on Google would have shown that Morning Consult is the official polling partner of POLITICO, Fortune, New York Times, and Bloomberg News. These media organisations have more credibility than The Print, at least as of now. And if The Print is going to employ lazy journalists like Smt Bajpai, who write articles based only on their ideological biases, without any background checking, then the gap will remain. I not even getting into the issue of asking for subscription with the promise of having talented young writers.
What’s wron with the TV narrative, its a fact Modi is far more a stateman than any PM of the past has been….His vision and hardwork cannot be matched by Rahul Gandi or Ahelesh Singh…..one end the so called secular media says economy is in dumps and at the same time…they don’t want the vaccine to be rolledout….and yet want miracles on economic front, just opposing Modi will not work…stupidity of secular mdia and lousy opposition has made what Modi is today…a demi god!
Political dissent is acceptable in democracy. Politics and dissent is not the same. Today dissent means blackmail i.e. my way or high way – here media has a to bring sense to debate and dissent.
Can media make sense to reasons for demand of repeal of farm laws. Dissent needs to be justified through articulation and not by creating emotive content – women tractors, rains, cold faced by farmers while protest – how does this bring a logic to dissent.
If there is no logic to dissent, other party will exploit such weakness – which is what BJP does. But trying to make sense to Abhishek for vaccine – media should have simply snapped outrageous remarks which is not a dissent. He does not vaccine fine there are many like him. He says it isBJP vaccine – why media is joining the party to the non-sense like this simply explain the process how vaccines are made by scientists and not political parties.
Shri PM Modiji is a true patriot and i support him for what he is doing to make our country and its people progress – why is everyone latching on to him cos he delivers, you can see, feel, use and live the progress, unlike previous corrupt governments. Progress in terms of basic working facilities for rural and urban poor, reforms in every sector, planning for infrastructure — just too good and now expectations are raising for more development as people have tasted how to live a good descent life – which was denied to them by previous corrupt government. As correctly pointed out in this article, these corrupt political parties and people are complaining for the sake of complaining as they have no substance and existence life. Support our great PM Shri Modiji. Jai Hind.