Just read an article in Newslaundry, “Why Bhakts Love to Hate NDTV”. Was amused.

I have absolutely no problem with being termed or clubbed with the following:

Right Wingers, Bhakts, Chaddis, Sanghis, Modi Sycophants, Modi’s Twitter Army.

Very descriptive labels attributed to supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by, hold your breath, the “fourth pillar” of our democracy — the media. Though I should be fair and limit it to a “section” of the media (NDTV and all others that have sprouted from it), this section which has so far had the most powerful amplifying system.

I would like to understand what you and the “leading lights” of the mainstream media mean by these terms. And who they might actually fit more. Let’s look at them one by one:

*Right Wing:

Though a perfectly legitimate political ideology in most parts of the world, in India, it has been sullied by the media to conjure up the image of a minority-bashing monster. A study of just one chart will indicate that it is actually the “liberals” (read Congress) that have been responsible for most minority repression in India.

*Bhakts:

Modi’s followers are blindly devoted to him. Bhakt as in the blind unquestioning followers of Arvind Kejriwal and Rahul Gandhi? Oh no. Rahul and Kejriwal are the next best thing after sliced bread!

*Chaddis: I concede….!

*Modi Sycophants:

Do you even understand the meaning of the word, Mr Saikia? PM Modi receives praise or opprobrium from his supporters depending on the issue. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are unquestioningly “adored” by their supporters and media for merely “looking pretty”! Have you ever heard Barkha or Sardesai question Sonia Gandhi’s obsession with “secrecy”. Modi on the other hand cannot even wear a Louis Vuitton looking shawl!

*Modi’s Twitter Army:

Ordinary citizens such as myself and millions of others, find ourselves tagged as Modi’s Twitter Army for expressing our political opinions! Media narrative. All the while Kejriwal’s army led by the likes of Ankit Lal is fondly mollycoddled by the same media!

What exactly is point of this article? That Modi is a disaster and, us, the crazy supporters, are cheering him on blindly?

Could it be that Modi is actually doing good work and the media is working overtime to pull him down and we can see through it? My view has been termed as “radical” without exploring the veracity of what is expressed.

Parker, when asked what her main concerns were with Jaitley giving an interview to NDTV, said it was because NDTV lacked credibility, was a channel that “fans communal divide without ascertaining facts” and was “involved in a financial scam”.  If you are even remotely familiar with social media discourse on the Indian media, you’d know that the Right wing has similar grievances with almost 90 per cent of the Indian media. But then, the relish in sloganeering against the channel with which Modi presumably has a personal issue seems to be way more fun.

Does NDTV enjoy credibility as a media organisation? NO.

Does NDTV fan communal divide without ascertaining facts? YES

Is NDTV involved in financial impropriety? YES, they have reportedly  been involved in raising funds through questionable channels.

It’s really a no brainer why Modi’s government should not give interviews to these news traders. Calling them the fourth pillar of our democracy would be blasphemy.