Past few days have been marked with raids—on residences of Hurriyat leaders and their associates, and on the premises of Lalu Yadav’s progeny, who find it difficult to stay out of controversy. Earlier, raids by Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate officials had caused discomfiture to the irrepressible Robert Vadra and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Then it was K Chidambaram who effortlessly hogged headlines because the authorities were constrained to carry out raids at his places of work. Now, to this list have been added the names of glamorous newsmaker couple Radhika and Dr Prannoy Roy. Surely, this isn’t the end. The monsoon is neigh and showers raining raids aren’t going to end.
Protests are mounting. Those who can’t see any blemish in those who belong to the separatist gang in Kashmir would have us believe that this is all part of an anti-Muslim, anti-Kashmir conspiracy to silence the voice of dissent in the Valley... a conspiracy to malign the reputation of politicians who refuse to bend to the dictates of the central government. There is no need to waste time refuting this charge. Hurriyat has been unmasked repeatedly and their treacherous conduct stands exposed. What we are anxious about is whether these raids will result in something concrete. Will those who have sold India down a bloody drain be put behind bars, lose their ill-begotten wealth, and punished?
The Yadavs may shout themselves hoarse that they, too, are victims of ‘political vendetta/witch-hunting’, etc but such is their crisis of credibility that none is ready to lend the siblings or their wise-cracking father half an ear. The clan may retain some nuisance value till presidential elections, but they would do well to prepare for a long haul in the courts contesting charges ranging from fodder to land scam. Playing the caste card hasn’t helped even a High Court judge escape conviction for contempt of court. Here again, the nation is waiting follow-up action after the sensational raids.
NDTV lost no time in stating that it has been targeted by the government to browbeat it into silence. It remains proudly defiant—at least for the present. While it can’t be denied that it is a channel that has refused to fall in line to sing peans of praise for PM Narendra Modi or to pillory his opponents without provocation, as many other private channels have gleefully chosen to do, it can’t be overlooked that it is no longer a channel that enjoys a viewership large enough to cause any discomfort to anyone in power. Those who anchor, participate in its debates or watch the channel regularly may suffer from the illusion that they alone are keeping alive the flickering flame of freedom in howling winds, but the fact is that no one for years has shown any interest in reading their lips. India has moved on from the days when Dr Roy had entered the small screen as a ‘gust of fresh air.’ Not many in India 2017 are awe-stricken by Old School Tie, Oxford Drawl, Clipped Accent, Sardonic Humour and access to People Like Us in High Places. This is the reason another worthy contemporary of Rajiv Gandhi from Doon School finds himself so much out of tune and temper of times repeatedly.
Much before the elections results of 2014 were out, India had changed. This is the reason Modi-led NDA could register such a sensational win. The Nehruvian ‘Idea of India’ with Western style secularism and Westminster model of democracy isn’t shared by majority of underprivileged, non-English medium educated youngsters. Pressures of Globalisation have rendered meaningless once majestic monuments to his socialist ‘follies’.
Time to return to the raids and Roys! It is difficult to overlook that NDTV’s media management has often been counter-productive. Ever since the Radia Tapes Affair, the credibility of NDTV has remained at rock bottom. The financial troubles, plaguing the company, too, have been in the public domain for some time. Narcissistic anchors may strut the stage as peacocks, but they aren’t exactly identified as flag-bearers of freedom of expression. Plugging products and politicians seems to be a greater priority than waging an ideological battle against Evil Forces.
It is a bit odd that all those who remain silent when faceless scribes in vernacular press are gunned down in mofussil towns or lose their lives in bomb blasts or uncanny road accidents, suddenly find a loud voice in defence of the Roys and NDTV. Many shining stars of English media have been reared in this nursery. It’s not surprising that they are shocked and pained at the plight of their foster parents. Blind faith and residual love seem to trump reason.
Forget the raids. What we are complaining about is the lack of follow-up action. Let innocence be proved in a court of law and justice be done. Not delayed.
Pushpesh Pant
Former professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
pushpeshpant@gmail.com