Opinion Four years later

Four years later,his name’s in mud. On Monday,Headlines Today asked,“Ashwini (sic) and PM,go? Is PM using Ashwini as a human shield?” CNN-IBN’s Rajdeep Sardesai commented,adding a nuance to the question: “There’s an impression that the law minister is shielding the PM. That’s the perception”. And then he asked the crore-rupee question: “Is perception not important in public life?” Barkha Dutt (NDTV 24×7),who had been tracking what the CBI would say about the affidavit to the Supreme Court on the weekend,pointed out what might happen when that “perception” is backed by the fact that the PMO made changes in the affidavit: “that could bring down the government”.

More than that perception,impressions have singed Singh’s image,and they could either reduce it to ashes or at least leave it indelibly scarred,despite all the cosmetic surgery by loyal Congress spokespersons on TV. In just the last few weeks,questions about the PM’s involvement in the 2G scam,coal scam and coal cover-up have dominated the airwaves and print media. The mere fact that the 8 pm and 9 pm TV discussion hears anchors brazenly asking if the PM should quit — and not just the BJP — indicates how dented the PM’s image is. Viewers are left with the impression that somewhere,somehow the PM is involved in all of the scams or the cover-up. He may well not be but that is,increasingly,the media and public “perception”.

You wonder how the PM and all his men and women have allowed this perception to grow and spread so deeply that an aggressive and disrespectful media can point an accusing finger at the PM and say,“Dr Dolittle,Go” (Headlines Today). No amount of Congressmen like Mani Shankar Aiyar and S. Chaturvedi asking anchor Rahul Kanwal (Headlines Today) and Sardesai,repsectively,to be “patient” and await events will change that.

If this reminds people even mildly of Watergate and US President Richard Nixon,you’ll understand why the media refers to it as Coalgate. But,please,can we get rid of terms like “Railgate hits UPA?” (Times Now) which mean nothing and conjure up — what?

Bad news is the only good news for TV. Thus,the easing of tensions between India and China on the border with the pullback of troops was breaking news on Sunday evening,but we did not hear any lengthy discussion on the successful diplomatic settlement the next day,apart from on NDTV 24×7.

The Sunday exit polls on Times Now and Headlines Today “decimated” the BJP in Karnataka and predicted a Congress victory with a slim majority. CNN-IBN also predicted that the Congress was “inching towards victory” but lowered its earlier margin of victory. Interestingly,its projected result was based not on an exit poll,but on estimates. Now that’s a new one.

Many viewers find TV news laughable,which is just as well,because the comedy shows on the entertainment only make you grimace. Or like judge Tusshar Kapoor on Nautanki-The Comedy Theatre (Colors) watch them with a grin locked to your mouth,waiting to break into laughter,which never happens. Watched a skit on three men in a railway compartment and something about bribery (nothing to do with minister Pawan Bansal),and did not even understand the jokes,let alone smile. Sony’s Comedy Circus Ke Ajoobe is louder but no less amusing. Once again,it is the judges,like Archana Puran Singh and Arbaaz Khan,who do their best to find everything funny but honestly,if you want a laugh,watch The Week That Wasn’t (CNN-IBN) or as we said,the news.

shailaja.bajpai@expressindia.com