For the first time in the post independent history of India, the integrity of media has come into question unfortunately due to increasing deviation of media persons from the basic lines of professional neutrality. Media institutions expanding their space and public outreach on social media were though expected to maintain their professional neutrality in the present day world of digitsation but unfortunately media persons are openly carrying out their professional activities with the purposes of political appeasement. While the opposition leaders in veiled references are pointing fingers at the neutrality of the media, the Prime Minister of country is choosing to seek an interaction with a bollywood actor Akhshay Kumar than with a noted TV anchor Karan Thapar who despite formally writing to the Prime Minister’s office five times in last five years for an interview was denied the opportunity. Interestingly Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off an interview with Karan Thapar in the year 2007 when he was Gujrat Chief Minister as he could not respond well to first couple of questions posed to him by Mr Karan Thapar.
The people are keeping a vigil over the professional conduct of media men who have to take care of the public interest and not the political aspirations of few individuals and particular political parties
While Karan Thapar known for his professional efficiency and integrity could not get an opportunity for a single interaction with the Prime Minister, the famed bollywood actor Akshay Kumar was offered an extensive interaction by the Prime Minister only to ask him questions about his personal choices on food and clothing. While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has obviously his own reasons to deny the famed TV anchor like Karan Thapar the opportunity of even a single interaction in last five years , he (Prime Minister Modi) was happy to appear before a huge crowd in the auditorium of India TV for an interaction with Rajat Sharma another TV anchor and interestingly he was given full time to speak against opposition without being asked to reply even a single allegation of the opposition. Allowing the Prime Minister of the country to speak against his political rivals randomly and freely without asking him to respond to the allegations of the opposition and increasing public annoyance over some controversial decisions on governance related issues shows that media institutions are loosing the pristine glory of professional neutrality. Absolutely stunning it is that crowd which had assembled to watch the interaction of the prime Minister at the auditorium of India TV was allowed to raise slogans “Modi!, Modi!, Modi!” and it looked as if Prime Minister had not come for an interaction in a TV show but for addressing an election show of BJP in the India TV’s auditorium. The people are keeping a vigil over the professional conduct of media men who have to take care of the public interest and not the political aspirations of few individuals and particular political parties
