New Delhi: Prime time news Wednesday was spoilt for choices.
India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai discussed the farmers’ protests with CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury while on Republic Bharat, anchor Sucherita Kukreti accused the Opposition of manipulating farmers. Mirror Now anchor Tanvi Shukla was more concerned about the “mysterious disease” in Andhra Pradesh.
On CNN News18, anchor Maha Siddiqui highlighted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent comments on China.
In a conversation with Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, Wednesday, Jaishankar had said that the bilateral ties between India and China were in their most difficult phase ever.
“After months of warning that China’s aggression at eastern Ladakh would have a fallout on bilateral ties, Jaishankar today said it had indeed very significantly damaged the ties already. Getting the relationship back on track was a big issue now,” Siddiqqui said.
Meanwhile, Mirror Now’s Tanvi Shukla focused on the ‘mystery disease’ in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru. As many as 593 people have been admitted to hospitals with this disease and one person has died.
“In Andhra Pradesh, a number of people who fell sick with the mystery disease are beginning to see a decline,” said Shukla.
She noted, “Experts are conducting tests of water, soil, vegetables, to try and find the cause of the high lead contamination that is believed to be the cause behind this illness.”
On India Today, Rajdeep Sardesai focused on the farmers’ protest.
He reprimanded CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury for his meeting with the President. Yechury and other opposition leaders, including Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, met the President to seek the repeal of the three farm laws Wednesday
“It appears that there is no seeming end to this deadlock, to that extent what purpose has your meeting with the President served given the fact that the government is now making it clear there will be no roll back of the farm laws?” he asked.
To which, Yechury replied, “Well, it’s up to the government. If they want to push the situation to a dead-end then it’s their prerogative. We met the President to urge him to use his office as the head of the government, head of the state, and to tell his government not to be obdurate and repeal these laws.”
Republic Bharat anchor Sucherita Kukreti discussed how the farmers’ demands are not likely to be resolved if they continue with the protest.
But mostly the show was about her asking a series of questions with no answers.
“Who is spreading these myths among farmers? How will the farmers find a solution in myths? Is politics heavy on this movement?”
And then came the “sabse bada sawal (biggest question)” — “Is the Opposition triggering the farmers to protest?”.
Kukreti focused on the roads blocked by the farmers and asked yet another question — “How will there be a solution if the movement continues?
Meanwhile, anchor Deepak Chaurasia was overjoyed after the US listed Pakistan and China as countries with “poor religious freedom”.
“Everyone knows the extent of Pakistan’s religious freedom. We all know the condition of minorities in Pakistan. India brought the Citizenship Amendment Act over this,” the anchor said on News Nation.
“Everyone knows how China treats the Uighur Muslims, they break mosques and make toilets. But Indian leftists and the leftists of the world keep quiet over it. Imran Khan is silent over it. Uighur Muslims are kept in concentration camps,” Chaurasia said.