The strategy was to trigger controversy and generate heated arguments ensuring the TV debate trended on social media platforms like Twitter.
Behzad Parvez | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – The cat is finally out of the bag!
The machinations and vileness of news anchors to incite communal feelings often targeting minorities, especially Muslims, are not covert anymore. The news anchors, who are collectively churning out one story after another to revile the Muslim community, have euphemistically come to be known as ‘Godi media.’
The world became familiar with the phenomenon of ‘Godi media’, a phrase coined later by the Magsaysay Award-winning journalist Ravish Kumar, referring to media playing lapdog to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose name rhymes with Godi.
Opening a Pandora’s Box, prominent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Rakesh Sinha has revealed that a news anchor from a well-known national television once tutored him to make derogatory comments about the Muslim community including beard and skull caps during a debate show.
In a startling revelation, Sinha pointed out that the 2016 incident was a planned strategy to trigger controversy and generate heated arguments ensuring the debate trended on social media platforms like Twitter.
Sinha was speaking at a seminar on “The future of Muslims in today’s India” here on Thursday. The RSS leader, whose Rajya Sabha term ended in 2024, said that the incident was before he became an MP. In a clip shared on social media, Sinha can be heard saying in Hindi: “I received a call from a TV channel…It had become a business for me to sit on TV channels from 4 pm to 11 pm…They [the anchors] said he would start the debate with me, and I was happy because when the debate starts you get some importance.”
Narrating the sequence of events, Sinha said he became sceptical after the channel followed up with the second call.
He said, “I will not disclose the name of the channel. A news anchor on the call directed me to make derogatory remarks about Muslims and their cultural practices like beard and skull caps to ignite a dirty discussion”.
“The anchor said that another invited Muslim panellist named Ansar Raza was also instructed to make provocative statements in response,” Sinha added.
The video of Sinha’s revelation has since gone viral on social media.
Sinha claimed that the channel anchor, in a very direct manner, told him regarding the show that the intention was to create controversy on the channel. “They told me that everything I uttered would be spectacular and the debate would start trending on Twitter,” he recalled.
He further said that on the evening of the scheduled date, the channel company even sent a vehicle to ensure his timely arrival at their studio in Noida. However, Sinha turned down the offer stating that he already had some engagements in Mumbai.
Upon learning of the rejection at the last moment, when the anchor attempted to persuade him further, Sinha humorously remarked, “I rehearsed the words you told me to speak and realised I am good-looking and tall. Perhaps, it might be more useful to go and act in Mumbai instead.”
Sinha used the incident to deliver a broader message about personal responsibilities to the audience. “I knew my responsibilities and integrity as a member of the RSS. I immediately realised that this was something which I did not need to waste my time with,” he said.
Amid applause from the audience, Sinha concluded his speech by advising the people suggesting they avoid succumbing to petty provocations that are mostly staged and maintain their responsibilities as citizens of the country.
Critics have raised flags over the ethics of television news debates in India following revelations by Sinha. Some have accused those, who engage in such things, of aspiring to create sensationalism and polarisation which would erode the media institutions’ authority.
The seminar was organised by Nayi Duniya Forum to promote dialogue among leaders from different political parties and cut across ideological differences. Most speakers supported meaningful dialogue for tangible peace and reconciliation.
Besides Sinha, Samajwadi Party MP from Kirana Iqra Hassan, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, Salman Khurshid of Congress, writer Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and well-known journalist Hilal Ahmed were among those who spoke at the seminar. It may be mentioned that Nai Duniya is an Urdu newspaper, owned by former Samajwadi Party MP Shahid Siddiqui who is also involved in the dialogue that a group of Muslim citizens had started previously with the RSS.
