CAPITAL GUPSHUP

Death of former President Pranab Kumar Mukherjee on a day when the GDP slumped by over 23% saved the government many a blushes. Since Mukherjee belonged to the Congress, its media department gave priority to condolence message on Pranab than running a campaign on the historical slump of economy. However, the party did record its point of view and gave enough indications that it was going to keep the government on the toes on the matter. However, what has started whispers is the complete silence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the matter. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is known to set his tongue wagging against opponents at the drop of the hat but of late he has remained muted in his criticism of the Centre and the BJP’s central leaders. People say there is some substance in the talk that AAP has increasingly taken on the role of BJP’s hatchet man.

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s video message condoling death of former President Pranab Mukherjee is an indicator that another Congress leader is on the way to become part of the BJP pantheon. Earlier the BJP adopted Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of independent India nd have also been soft on former Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao. However, unlike Patel, Mukherjee leaves behind a very detailed autobiography (in three volumes) where he makes little reference to the Jana Sangh or the BJP, and whenever he does he does it wrly or critically. On the other hand he is profuse in his adulation of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and regrets the fact that Rajiv Gandhi did not trust him in the initial years.

The last has certainly not been heard in the Sushant Singh Rajput Death case. With the name of film producer Sandip Ssingh appearing in the case with regard to the drug angle, the presdators especially those baying for blood of the Shiv Sena/Congress leaders and the film industry establishment may soon be running for cover. Ssingh had produced the film PM Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls whose trailer was released by then BJP chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis. Now a picture of Ssingh with Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli has appeared. Since Ranaut has been firing fulltime at one and all in the industry, its being said that those at the receiving end are now getting ready to hit back.

With the Union Government Ministers and even BJP-ruled states Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers falling over each other in releasing the social media messages celebrating the birthday of Indian hockey legend Major Dhyanchand attracted quite an attention. Though the day has been declared as National Sports Day for long one doesn’t recall the Union Government or the BJP for that matter, celebrating the birthday of hockey wizard with such fervour. According to whispers the push has been given to ‘celebrate’ the icon with upcoming critcal bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, the state Dhyanchand belonged to and also targetting a section of voters in Bihar. Dhyanchand and late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput belong to the Thakur community, which has large presence in both the states.

The notification by the Press Council of India (PCI) late on Friday evening in the crass coverage of Sushant Singh Rajput death case have raised quite a few eye brows. First the PCI is not a regulatory authority for electronic and digital media, its jurisdiction is largely limited to newspapers; second the direction came after a news channel interviewed Rhea Chakravarty, Sushant'former girl friend, who claimed of being victimised by media trial and nobody coming to her rescue. The interview has created some sympathy for the witch-hunted Chakravarty, which probably has made the regularly body wake up lest it be charged of being comlicit in the media trials. But as somebody said now that the PCI has decided to issue guidelines to TV channels, why have they overlooked Sudarshan TV's act on minority members of our bureacracy.