Leaders are intolerant, their ‘bhakts’ even worse: Journalist Rajdeep Sardesai
In an interview with DC, he talks about being branded anti-Modi, an intolerant society and Network 18
By : darshana ramdev
Update: 2014-11-17 09:33 GMT
Bengaluru: Rajdeep Sardesai released his book 2014, 'The Election that Changed India' to a packed audience on a pleasant Sunday morning at the Chitra Kala Parishath. The book was released by Professor Radhakrishnan, historian Ramachandra Guha and political scientist Dr Sandeep Shastri.
Sardesai has proved himself to be a man who sticks by his beliefs, no matter what the consequences. In an interview with DC, he talks about being branded anti-Modi, an intolerant society and Network 18.
Excerpts from an interview.
You came up on stage and said, ‘People often ask me if I am anti-Modi’ What do you have to say to them?
Yes, I am often told that! It resulted in a chastening incident at Madison Square Gardens as well! The truth is that I am a journalist, not an activist. If someone has something to answer for, I raise questions. That doesn’t make me anti-anyone. It turned out to be quite problematic for me in the end!
You were heckled in New York for being ‘anti-Modi’. In Bengaluru, U.R. Ananthamurthy was humiliated by gloating Modi supporters for not supporting their leader. What does that indicate?
At the end of the day, we are becoming an intolerant society. Leaders are intolerant of criticism and their followers are worse. They are bhakts who treat their leader like a God. In that environment, you don’t question, challenge or offer alternate narratives. We’re supposed to venerate the leader.
You mentioned, again in your speech, that Modi won the election in a particular context, India was so fed up with the UPA that they were ready for a form of politics they would otherwise consider divisive. Modi knows that he cannot be PM for ten years by alienating an entire section of the population. Are divisive politics playing out in other ways, though?
With Modi’s victory, the localised groups have found a new confidence. They believe that the 2014 victory is a victory for their kind of politics. But it isn’t. Let’s not see this as a victory of one ideology over another. That leads to intolerance. It seems to say, ‘if you're not with us, you're an enemy of the state, an anti-national’.
You have growing intolerance and divisive politics. This is a deadly cocktail, does it point to a dangerous trend?
It is dangerous, but I still believe in the common sense of the average Indian. The majority might remain silent, but it doesn’t mean that it accepts authoritarianism or intolerance. The average Indian is very liberal. The problem is with these lumpen elements on either side.
This is all very fresh for you, but do you think the changes in Network 18 were triggered by the elections of 2014?
I’d like to believe it isn’t connected. At the end of the day, things happen. It wouldn’t be fair to attribute it to a change in leadership though, I won’t say that. These questions should really be posed to the people who are still in charge, or to the previous management. I am a journalist, my job is to bring out the news. We got a lot of praise for our election coverage. How different managements perceive this, though, is up to them.