New Delhi: Prime time Sunday went everywhere, from Bihar to Washington, D.C. And given that it was Dussehra, some channels also used the occasion to make a political point about good versus evil.
On Aaj Tak, anchor Sayeed Ansari said, “Evil is always defeated and destroyed by good. China spread the virus in the world, but today on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, India has given a befitting reply to China.”
He continued, dramatically: “Listen up China, carefully”, following which the channel played footage of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh worshipping weapons at Sukna War Memorial in Darjeeling on Sunday.
“Don’t you think that today, leaving all political debate aside, we must give China a stern message together?” the anchor asked Congress’ Supriya Shrinate.
“PM Modi, Defence Minister…Foreign Minister, Army chief — all are saying different things,” Shrinate said. “If there is nothing to hide then clarify, where did those 20 jawans get martyred? Did China enter our territories? Or did our jawans lose their lives in China?”
Times Now discussed RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s annual Dussehra address, in which he spoke about how Hindutva was the essence of India, and said the country is Hindu. He also had strong words for China and defended the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
“Firstly, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address touched upon all the issues. Also, a detailed discussion was done on the floor of the Parliament before the CAA was passed,” said Aparajita Sarangi, BJP MP and national spokesperson, somewhat defensively.
But political analyst Dushyant Nagar hit back: “What did the RSS chief say about the farm laws and the protests across the nation over it? Is that not an issue the country is facing?”
“It is habitual on the part of the RSS to whip up passions, especially during Dussehra,” chimed in Islamic scholar, A. Rehman.
Meanwhile, NewsX focused on the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls with the campaigning in full swing.
“The biggest political party since independence, Congress is trying to bank on a regional political party like RJD and that is the interesting game,” pointed out the BJP’s Shivam Chhabra.
On the rise of the RJD, political analyst Chetan Singh said, “There is a different wave on the ground. This wave is in favour of Tejashwi Yadav. Look at the kind of rallies, interaction and bond he is having with the people out there.”
‘The poll of polls clearly shows that it’s not anti-incumbency but pro-incumbency that is in favour of the NDA government,” political analyst Desh Ratan Nigam disagreed.
News18 India also trained its focus on Bihar and asked if nationalism would win the BJP this poll. “PM Modi has spoken on nationalism and in nationalism he has also spoken about Article 370,” anchor Amish Devgan said.
RJD’s Mrityunjay Tiwari said that citizens of India are “tired” listening to the same thing again and again. “They (BJP) don’t talk on poverty and unemployment. This happens in all elections. Last time they spoke on Pakistan, Jinnah, Article 370. PM Modi should tell the people of Bihar about special packages, and speak on poverty.”
Devgan asked the Congress’ Abhay Dubey the logic behind Rahul Gandhi’s claim that China has entered 1,200 kms into India. He added that if that were true, he would see Chinese soldiers outside his studio in Noida, but he only sees UP Police. The Congress spokesperson retorted that he [Devgan] only chooses to see what PM Modi said, which is that nobody has entered India.
Dubey added, sarcastically, “If you keep supporting this government and Prime Minister who is sitting with his eyes closed towards China, then they might well reach your studio.”
And as the US presidential election draws near, NDTV 24×7 discussed the trajectory of the India-US relationship.
“Foundational agreements between India and the US have been a long time coming. They are essentially agreements that set up parameters for cooperation, they don’t specify the modalities or details of the cooperation,” said Vipin Narang, MIT Associate Professor, on whether an India-US alliance is in the making.
“For about two decades since 2000, India and the United States have slowly started moving closer together and cooperating,” Narang added, cautioning that hyping up the relationship can become harmful.
“The militaries are closer than they have ever been before,” said the Stimson Centre’s Christopher Clary, adding, “The Modi government has not been as concerned about defence cooperation as the previous UPA-2 was.”
