Former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav & anchor Anjana Kashyap held a piping hot discussion in the Lucknow Conclave of ‘Aaj Tak’ where a word triggered off Anjana.
Akhilesh Yadav during the course of the talks used the word “honest”, to which the anchor Anjana Om Kashyap exploded like a chocolate bomb, surprising because it seemed like a compliment. In fact, Om Kashyap after objecting to “honest” hit back argumentatively to such an extent that the video went viral on social media.
The Sequence Of The Interview Went Like This:
SP chief, former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was invited to an interview in Aaj Tak regarding the upcoming election in Uttar Pradesh and during the discourse, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav told news anchor Anjana Om Kashyap while discussing the assembly elections in ‘Lucknow Panchayat Aaj Tak’, “I have prepared a list of honest journalists, your name is also in it. I am telling the truth. Ever since this chariot has stopped running, virtual rallies have started taking place. That’s why I have made a list of honest journalists of the country.”
Akhilesh Yadav further said, “Yesterday also I gave an interview. Even today I am giving you an interview.” Taking a jibe at him, the news anchor said to him, ‘Nowadays have you started giving certificates too? We have also made a list of honest leaders.”
Akhilesh Yadav said, “Now that you’ve said that I’ll ask you one question after another. You did not say whether Shri Krishna used to come in a dream for five years or has come only at this time. Or have you also followed the path of BJP?”
Anjana replied heatedly, “This is what you are trying to do, throw mud again and again. By speaking these special words, you are repeating honestly again and again.” She went on to say, “What do you want to say through one word again and again.” She was clearly irked by the word “honest” for some strange reason.
Akhilesh Yadav replied innocently, “What can be done if even praise starts looking bad?”
Falling into the bait, Anjana exploded, “You are being sarcastic. If you feel that by clapping here you will prove it right, then I would like to request you in a very respectful way, that I am asking you the question and want you to answer it.”
Anjana further said – “Do not try to hit anyone with a single word.” When Akhilesh Yadav tried to speak, she obstructed him from doing so as is the popular tactic used by most Indian media, where usually they very rudely start screaming at their invited guests.
Here, Anjana said, “No… it will be more people who will tolerate… It will be more people who do not ask questions to others, and they will accept it. I listened to your words with great restraint but now I feel that I should interrupt.”
She went on to say, “You may be a big leader of SP but it does not give you any right to make such remarks or take a dig at me. I am saying this to you with great respect. My religion is to ask questions to political parties and I am constantly asking questions through this platform.”
While initially, Anjana tried to avoid the taunt “honest: with a smile, it was not tolerated by her for long and she finally flew into a rage and shot at Mr. Yadav with, “Why did you call us honest?”
Mr. Yadav to pacify her came up again lightly with a comment with his famous touch of sarcasm that is starting to get popular, ‘Well, from today I will not call you “honest,”’ which did not give Anjana any relief!
The Television Media is Drowning in Propagandists Hands
From the interview, it was evident that Anjana was hit at a sensitive spot with the word “honest” and her response was indolent, rude, and aggressive, as normally is when most TV anchors in India call Opposition guests on the sets. Even though the Samajwadi Party leader spoke lightly to her and without disrespect, only mixing in a tinge of sarcasm that was not offensive or rude to any degree, it stung Anjana sharply because she seemed to know that honesty was not her policy.
Responding to her fierce reaction, Yadav on Twitter wrote “This honest explanation is welcome during an interview with ‘Aaj Tak’ channel that the perfume trader from whose house billions of rupees came out was BJP’s own man. Satyameva Jayate!!!”
Sparked Reactions from Netizens
Twitter reacted vehemently and also with amusement. Anjana Om Kashyap makes no bones to hide that she is openly campaigning for the ruling government, something that television media should never do, which is why their journalism becomes “dishonest”, and the very word “honest” has caused her great distress.
This video is proof that how Aaj Tak and Anjana Om Kashyap are campaigning in favor of BJP in Uttar Pradesh that’s why Swatantra Dev Singh thanked Anjana Om Kashyap.
This video is a proof that how Aaj Tak and Anjana Om Kashyap are campaigning in favor of BJP in Uttar Pradesh that's why Swatantra Dev Singh thanked Anjana Om Kashyap. #ShameOnYouAnjana pic.twitter.com/cGreTsKgkc
— Haraprasad Behera (@Haraprasad_) January 11, 2022
Someone wrote, “Upper caste Noida channels would never ask Yogi about Thakur raj but will always, always ask OBC or Dalit leaders about their ‘vote bank.’ Indian media is the most casteist institution in the country.”
Upper caste Noida channels would never ask Yogi about Thakur raj but will always, always ask OBC or Dalit leaders about their ‘vote bank.’ Indian media is the most casteist institution in the country. https://t.co/NLIcp6sapI
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) January 10, 2022
Another user said “Honest and this, The country’s most garbage channel and their garbage journalists. Now Godi media is hating even good words.”
Honest and this, The country's most garbage channel and their garbage journalists. Now Godi media is hating even good words.#ImandarAnjana pic.twitter.com/zZjHMYCm63
— KUNVAR SINGH (@kunvarsinghhh) January 10, 2022
आपके घर का टीवी, कट्टर बीजेपी कार्यकर्ता है, सनद रहें। सरकार की गुलामी करने वाला चैनल, एंकर आपसे ये सच छिपाता है, ताकि आपको गुमराह किया जा सके। सावधान। #ShameOnYouAnjana
— Hansraj Meena (@HansrajMeena) January 11, 2022
Hansraj Meena
@HansrajMeena
आपके घर का टीवी, कट्टर बीजेपी कार्यकर्ता है, सनद रहें। सरकार की गुलामी करने वाला चैनल, एंकर आपसे ये सच छिपाता है, ताकि आपको गुमराह किया जा सके। सावधान। #ShameOnYouAnjana
Translated from Hindi by
The TV in your house is a hardcore BJP worker, stay tuned. The government’s slave channel, anchor hides this truth from you so that you can be misled. Precaution.
A news portal ‘Bolta Hindustan’ has written, “After all, how can someone come and call a channel ‘Honest and prestigious’ that has crossed all limits of dishonesty. After all, how can someone come like this and call that channel prestigious, which has a ‘reputation’ of shame.
The portal further reads, “After all, how can someone come like this and tell the truth to the anchors of that channel who have worked hard, wholeheartedly, to tell lies. Absolutely this question should be asked to Akhilesh Yadav that why did he call this channel honest?
On Akhilesh Yadav’s taunting of Aaj Tak as ‘honest’, ‘Bolta Hindustan’ author Samar Raj writes:
“Why was the channel, which was exposed in front of the camera in the Cobrapost sting, called honest? The channel which has spread the falsehood of 56 SDM being Yadav against their government, why did he call it honest?
Then Samar Raj goes ahead and hits out dozens of burning questions one after the other not only to Akhilesh Yadav but the entire opposition. He writes, “Why has no case been filed on this channel till now on the allegation of lies and propaganda? Why is this channel not mass boycotted for hate and riotous language? Why have you accepted the invitation to discuss on such a channel even after running propaganda against the farmers?
He said that this question is not only to Akhilesh Yadav, but to all the tall and short leaders of the opposition, civil society, and social workers. It is to the common people as well whose number is in millions, to the voters as to why are they maintaining an illusion of calling these TV channels honest and reputed and believing their reporting?
Akhilesh Yadav on Twitter retorted, “This honest explanation is welcome during an interview with ‘Aaj Tak’ channel that the perfume trader from whose house billions of rupees came out was BJP’s own man. Satyameva Jayate!!!
‘आज तक’ चैनल के साथ एक साक्षात्कार के दौरान इस ईमानदार स्पष्टीकरण का स्वागत है कि जिस इत्र व्यापारी के घर से अरबों रूपया निकला वो भाजपा का अपना आदमी था।
सत्यमेव जयते!!! pic.twitter.com/jxWoOM4JAO
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 10, 2022
My Question to Akhilesh Yadav and the Opposition is “Why Do You Go to the Television Sets When the Script Is Already Written?”
One can easily make out that Anjana Om Kashyap dishonored her television guest, Akhilesh Yadav, on the sets after inviting him, by getting into an argument with him, he, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, and also the chief of a major party in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party, and yet Akhilesh Yadav took her eruptive reactions quite calmly.
Anjana and many other anchors like her have broken every protocol and rule of the book of journalism. While it is good to question leaders, the red danger zone lies in selective questioning and targeting. While journalism does question, it never should become an advocate for any government.
The journalism in India has descended to the lowest pits of degradation. Many times, it is observed that perpetrators’ crimes are covered. In those times, the Media raised up insignificant topics from the recesses in the nation and brings them to the forefront, while cloaking the government misdeeds. In the face of pressing problems of the nation, the Media instead attacks the Opposition, belittles them, and magnifies tiny incidents out of proportion in Opposition camps, yet rarely covers their voices in protests or rallies.
I would relay just a few instances where the media in India played the devil’s advocate: They have run malicious propaganda against the farmers marketing them as dangerous Khalistanis, they have dehumanized the Muslims as terrorists spreading this message across the globe, and they underreport atrocities to Dalits and Christians, rarely covering the hateful things happening over the nation. During the present Chinese infiltration in India, they skimpy cover those events.
They villainized the Tablighi Jamaat during the COVID-19 evoking propagandist theories that they inbred the virus during their visit, in synch with China, told lies over TV sets that the Tablighi Jamaat deliberately spat into food, proved to be a lie by fact-checker. They scarcely covered Nameste Trump’s role also in bringing virus which spread vociferously over India.
Over the years, they downplay violence to minorities, seldom cover it unless it sparks massive outrage in the nation, the steady rise in fuel is never told in the Media. National tragedies and floods in India are shown in short flashes, and it many times is embarrassing to find Indian news such as floods and disasters intensely covered by the BBC. In fact, sometimes, Indians are not aware of natural disasters in India until they switch on to the BBC! The Media hardly show the jawan’s martyred faces unlike earlier when state funerals were held for every jawan martyred.
I would have to say with sadness that the media in the West far outweighs Indian television media in ethics, integrity, honesty, magnitude, strength, force, and devotion, not infringed by the government or political parties, a separate and distinct powerful agency with pure liberty to report the truth as it is without the favor of “dog biscuits” by owners. And for the record, when they invite a guest, they discuss matters and ask hard questions but they never interrupt, they allow their guests to finish what they are saying, the first step of good manners where Indian journalists have displayed to the world have terrible bad manners, they scream over the guest speakers, which is shocking.
In this respect, it would be very principled for the Opposition parties and Akhilesh Yadav and others to start refusing invitations to the propagandist television channels. This would begin to make television media accountable and set a strong message across the nation. By constantly visiting, you are giving them strength and fodder for their campaign against you. Remember, the scenes are set and the script is already written and they invite you as a guest only to scream you down. Do you want to fall into their narrative and destroy your own?