Opinion Tweeting with Shashi
Ties,three-wheelers and terrorists....
Cattle class traveler could be my middle name and working as I do for this newspaper,my impression of holy cows is that they frequently have hooves of clay. Austerity? If I could stay at Taj and go to office,I would.
So,I was thinking: might I and Shashi Tharoor not make a good tweeting twosome? We could tweet about many things. What is really happening with China,for example? Or,we could tweet about the other big,mysterious entity that both government and people sometimes have a hard time figuring out.
But would Tharoor tweet with me about news TV? I dont see why not. If he did,the Shashi-Saubhik TV tweets may have gone something like this:
Saubhik: Do you watch news TV?
Shashi: Thats your job mate; news TV watches me.
Saubhik: Do you watch what comes out after news TV watches you?
Shashi: I was in bandhgala on NDTVs Buck Stops Here.
Saubhik: Meaning?
Shashi: Meaning,I wasnt wearing a tie,like all news TV people do. My way has more style,surely you noticed?
Saubhik: You bet. But only male news anchors regularly wear a tie.
Shashi: Big Fight.
Saubhik: With whom? Liberians?
Shashi: Mate you tweet like you have never traveled business class. You said male anchors,so I mentioned that NDTV show. I want to be on it.
Saubhik: Not NDTVs We the People?
Shashi: Rather stand behind a silly glass thingamajig than sit on crowded steps. Also,I bet Big Fight will call CPIs D Raja. He told Times Now he takes auto rickshaws.
Saubhik: The point being?
Shashi: If I debate with D Raja If the tie-wearing anchor gives me 5 minutes to talk,this austerity thing will be over.
Saubhik: No one gets 5 minutes on any show. But how will the debate be over?
Shashi: Coz I will show that when economys growing at 9 per cent,austerity is awful.
Saubhik: But economys growing at 6 per cent.
Shashi: Gee,it sure didnt feel like that at Taj. But news TV,like MEA briefings,is not big on details.
Saubhik: You partial to NDTV?
Shashi: Rubbish. Just that at this point I dont want to Face the Nation. Get it? Ha,ha.
Saubhik: What about many other prime time anchor-driven CNN-IBN shows?
Shashi: Like?
Saubhik: I see what you mean Ah,the Weekend news show.
Shashi: How do you think I spend my weekends? News at 9,thats my pick.
Saubhik: It gives you a chance to talk about really serious stuff?
Shashi: Grow up. It gives me a chance to ask really cool questions. An ex-DD anchor asked CNN-IBN during News at 9,do you do all this (getting all excited) because people want it or because you want people to have this.
Saubhik: The fundamental existential question for news TV. So,you watch DD?
Shashi: Man,I have to. I am a minister.
Saubhik: Tajs TVs show DD?
Shashi: Yes and before you ask,so do Kerala House TVs. But thats not the point.
Saubhik: Well,frankly speaking
Shashi: Thats not the Times Now show I want to be on.
Saubhik: You have been frank enough already?
Shashi: Thats so not true. I like Times Nows pre-News Hour news show. Its vital for anyone who makes foreign policy.
Saubhik: You mean the PM.
Shashi: Thats so not funny. This show the anchor…ok he also wears a tie but he tells you like it is. Did you know US is batting for us to get Pakistani terrorists in jail? Times Now said this on Thursday. The energy,the excitement! Got to make my joint secretaries watch the show.
Saubhik: Male JSs also wear ties. Your views on Hindi news TV? Like AajTak?
Shashi: Am impressed. Foreign office tells me they have located Dawood Ibrahim more times than we have.
Saubhik: Ok,see you,have to write a short column.
Shashi: And I have to handle a big row. Get it? Ha,ha.
saubhik.chakrabarti@expressindia.com
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