New Delhi: Prime time debates Sunday primarily discussed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s remarks criticising the Modi government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic at the Lahore Literature Fest.
Some news channels also discussed the findings of a government-appointed panel that finally gave some good news about the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel noted that if strict distancing and masking protocols are followed then the pandemic may run its course by February 2021. But not all experts agreed with this.
On Aaj Tak, Tharoor was the hot topic of discussion after he said that the Modi government had failed in its Covid-19 management and also spoke about the alleged bigotry of the government towards Muslims during the pandemic. Note, he made these remarks at the Lahore Literature Festival last month.
Anchor Syed Ansari noted that even Prime Minister Modi has gone to other countries and spoken about India and asked what was really so wrong about what Tharoor did.
“If you say that BJP felt bad about what Shashi Tharoor said, that is true. But the fact is that every citizen felt bad. Why was he taking part in an event in Pakistan anyway, what he said is secondary,” said BJP’s Gautam Bhatia.
Political analyst and journalist Ashutosh was quick to the defence: “Shashi Tharoor is that person who before coming to India, made the country proud at the United Nations. BJP probably doesn’t have a single member who is as educated as Mr Tharoor.”
Meanwhile, Muslim scholar Shoab Jamai said, “I completely agree with the remarks Shashi Tharoor made. Apart from a politician he is also a writer, he goes to many literary festivals.”
NewsX’s Uday Pratap Singh called Tharoor’s remarks, including the assertion that Pakistan has performed better than India, as a “self-goal” on the part of Congress.
But political analyst Tanvi Pruthi defended Tharoor by asking, “Why are we running away from truth…and facts? The numbers speak for themselves.”
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Sunil Sethi said Tharoor’s statement was made to “paint the Indian government in black”. He added that Tharoor was called to the fest not to speak about Covid-19 but “cultural aspects”.
In a “super exclusive” and rare interview with News18 India, Home Minister Amit Shah spoke about the BJP and Shiv Sena alliance, the Akali Dal’s exit and the present situation of the National Democratic Alliance.
“There are over 30 parties. And as far as the Sena and Akalis are concerned, we didn’t kick out anyone. We can’t do anything about it. I am no fortune teller, but there’s no saying about what will happen in the future with these parties and the BJP,” said Shah.
“Through the media, I want to let the people know that via the Opposition, farmers are being misinformed. We are not putting any end to the MSP regime or the mandi system. Where in the bill does it mention that we are putting an end to the MSP system,” he added about the farmers’ protesting across the country against the three farm Acts, alleging they are anti-farmer.
On the rising conversations about the Krishnajanmabhoomi, Shah was a little confusing — “The BJP has no role in this. Ram Janmabhoomi was our agenda, we worked towards that for years.”
Republic TV was preoccupied with something else entirely. On Sunday, Arnab Goswami was too busy “exposing” Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, who is conducting a probe into the channel for allegedly manipulating TRPs.
With the hashtag #RepublicExposesParamBir, Goswami said, “For ten days now, India’s No. 1 network, Republic media network, has been fighting a motivated campaign of lies and fabrications designed to attack us, malign us and question our integrity.”
He added that the FIR filed in the TRP scam case by the Mumbai Police did not mention Republic TV but India Today.
On the panel, Jadavpur University Professor Manojit Mandal spoke in riddles: “..my support is always with the press. But when there is press versus an individual — if that individual is subject to unfair media trial like in the case of Rhea Chakraborty — I cannot stand with the press at all.”
Goswami was visibly confused, “Where does Rhea Chakraborty come in this case?” If only, this question was asked a few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Shazia Ilmi went on a tangent and said what was happening to Goswami and his network was as “wrong” as West Bengal CM Mamata Bannerjee’s harassment of journalists in her state.
JD(S) spokesperson Tanveer Ahmed told Goswami: “I don’t like your kind of journalism sometimes…but this witch-hunt [against Republic] on the behest of political babus is really not done.”
Mirror Now’s Afrida Rahman Ali discussed findings of a government-appointed panel’s Covid-19 report.
Spoiler alert: Experts do not believe that the pandemic is likely to come to an end by February next year.
“The virus is predictably unpredictable as far as coronavirus is concerned,” said Dr. Shashank Joshi, a member of Maharashtra’s Covid-19 task, and called the panel’s prediction that Covid-19 could end by February next year “preposterous”.
Dr. Rakesh Mishra, Director of The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, said: “We cannot apply uniformity in the country…so it’s very difficult to say we have passed the peak in India.”
Meanwhile, BJP national in-charge (legal) Charu Pragya asserted: “We have a situation which has been handled in an exemplary manner. India has come out [as] a leader…”
Was she referring to the fact that India is the second worst-affected country by Covid-19 in the world?
Shashi Tharoor will be liability to congress, because he is a 64 years old kid. Sometimes he speaks marvellously. Sometimes, he speaks without prudence. He always plays to the gallery.