“Its dressed up”

As per the latest tape released by Outlook

Radia calls up Vir Sanghvi on June 20, 2009, the day before his Counterpoint column appears in HT. Following is transcript of the conversation

Nira: Hi

Vir Sanghavi: Hi… Nira…

Nira: Ya Ya

“Vir Sanghavi: Wrote it…“I’ve dressed it up as a piece about how public will not stand for resources being cornered, how we’re creating a new list of oligarchs…” See the Examples I have given is the court case which says that Mummy will decide its all in family… Why should our gas be decided by mummy… I have given the example of they deal that was struck on Sasun after samajwadi party supported the government and they went back on deal ..

Nira: Hmmm…

“Vir Sanghavi: ……and they went back to their old position…. I have given the example of how spectrum is being allocated

Nira: Hmmm…

Vir Sanghavi: and I has said that while people have certain tolerance to corruption in this country.. they have no tolerance for people cornering their assets and cornering our scarce resources and what will happen is this country will become a country run by oligarchs like Russia who no body can control and Manmohan Singh must act as he basically giving away the future of the country

Niira Radia: Very nice, lovely, thank you, Vir.

Sanghvi : It’s dressed up as a plea to Manmohan Singh, so it won’t look like an inter-Ambani battle except to people in the know.”

Nira: very Nice

Sanghvi : ok…

Please note that this conversation was recorded at 1620 Hrs and Vir Sanghavi published his said counter point article at 2129 Hrs.

After the first tape, Vir Sanghvi had published his defense in an article Setting the record straight. In his defence he says

My view is that to figure out what is actually going on behind the scenes, a journalist sometimes has to appear sympathetic and even, to string along his sources so that they reveal their ultimate motivation. (Why are they really talking to you? What kind of article do they want?).

Dear Vir, Do you also classify above conversation as “a journalist sometimes has to appear sympathetic and even, to string along his sources” . To us in Media Watch it looked like a student reading back a prose to teacher who has dictated it and looking happy that she has approved it.

In another tape Nira asks her associate to prepare the questions for Vir (Sanghvi) of HT since he has agreed to ask whatever questions they suggest. She says that Vir is starting a new series of interviews and he wants to start with Mukesh Ambani or Ratan Tata. She asks Yatish to mobilise all resources to draw up the questions.

Please also read “What kind of story do you want?”