That’s no way to behave with the press, Laluji

Rashtriya Janata Dal Chief Lalu Yadav seems to be having a tough time keeping his cool around presswalahs. Yesterday afternoon, he lashed out at a bunch of reporters, who had gathered outside the Delhi airport to question him on the alleged land scam.

 ABP and Republic TV reports show an angry Lalu screaming at reporters, saying that they must not abuse him on live TV. The Republic TV reporter is heard questioning Lalu: “Aap ghotala pe ghotala karenge, hum sawaal nahin poochenge.” (You indulge in scam after scam and expect us not to ask questions?) Lalu responds to this by calling the Republic TV reporter “ghotalabaaz” (scamster) and a Modi stooge. It is after this exchange that Lalu loses his cool and asks reporters to shut up — “chup,” he screams out. He’s then heard saying, “Apne baap se poocho (ask your father)” in response to reporters stating that they were merely asking him questions.

Later in the day, Lalu’s aide pushed aside another Republic TV reporter, Parikshit Luthra, as he asked him questions on the channel’s first “super exclusive” on Lalu speaking to Shahabuddin while he was in jail. Lalu again accuses Republic TV of being on Modi’s payroll, after which he loses his cool and threatens to hit the reporter.

While it is Lalu’s prerogative to defend himself against charges of corruption levelled at him by sections of the media, he can by no means threaten reporters with violence and use the sort of language he did. Clearly, an apology is in order, even if this is the same channel whose editor called a Congress spokesperson “a worm” on live television without ever apologising for it.