ToI launched ‘Gandhi Gen-Five’ way back in 2009

ToI officially launched Gandhi Gen five from Priyanka - Rehan (7) and Maira (5) during the auspicious occasion of “"canvassing for mamaji" . The new offering from Gandhi family was escorted by an old loyal former pradhan of Chandosi gram sabha Kanhaiya. Even though nation has no doubts about capabilities of any new product from Gandhi Family, ToI quoted Mr. Singh (who also helped Launch Gandhi Gen 4) on their capabilities with an old Awadhi saying,

"Kathi ki bili bhi gungunati hai (even a cat in the house of a katha singer knows how to hum)."

He didnot clarify if it only hums or whether it catches mice also? We guess being Katha Singers cat brings its own benefits.

He also added how Gandhi Gen 5 needs no tutoring

"the two took to meeting people like fish takes to water". . "Gandhi parivar ke bachcho ko bhala kya samjhane ki zaroorat hai (where's the need to train a Gandhi kid),"

Of course, who would disagree. Its all ingrained and preprogrammed into the special genes some may say pedigree. The villagers narrate stories of how one of them used to fly rockets even when he was 10 years old. I am sure it might be an exaggeration but as in case of Katha Singers cat who knows? 

Then ToI explains a days in Little Rehans life. How like a consummate politician, he hit it off with elders by bending down and touching their feet….. of course without any prompting(at least visible) and then parting with a crisp one-liner:

"Rahul mama ko zaroor vote dijiye (please vote for Uncle Rahul)." 

ToI goes on to explain how Rehan wlaked in Dalit dominated area, stopped by an ailing old man and asked, "How are you uncle?" before repeating the all-important message. The children even walked into huts to meet and chat up veiled women who were reluctant to come out in presence of village seniors.

ToI quoted Mummy Priyanka that  they

even provided her with valuable feedback on problems like power cuts facing the constituency

We are not sure if Gandhi Gen 5 asked the million dollar questions “Mummy why do we have power cut even after 60 years of our families glorious rule”

Its a proud day for the nation. The awestruck audience at Amethi watched with their mouths wide open. The Media gathered for witnessing the special occasion has gone hyper with Joy. Its rumored that some of the anchors/ were seen weeping with joy, some even fainted at first sight of Gen 5. There is no truth in usual opposition canard that the degree of fainting/weeping was directly proportional to advertisement revenue from Government of India.

We only hope “Maira” changes her name when traveling to Kerala!! I can only imagine the face of Anthony trying to call the girl by her name………

 

Saga of another apology.. This time its to Rahul Gandhi!

For the unaware, this entire issue started with former Supreme Court judge Justice Iyer writing a sharply worded letter to Rahul Gandhi on April 9, criticizing him for the policies of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre. Iyer said that Rahul Gandhi may become a good government later on in his life, but right now he is not a good leader.

“He has nothing to say new to this country. He is not a socialist by conviction. He has no ideology at all. Such a person when he goes in the villages, people out of curiosity to see this man come and see,”

As expected the retort to the letter was quick and swift.

On April 17th, most of Media houses carried news of Rahuls ‘sharply worded’ letter to Justice Iyer. In letter, he allegedly claimed

``like most right thinking Indian people'', he was working quietly on that problem as he had ``absolutely no interest'' in becoming a hero.

What most of Media Houses and Rahuls PR team did not anticipate was angry reaction to the PR spin that “Rahul is working quietly to solve the rot in the system”. ToI article I am working to improve a rotten system: Rahul Gandhi attracted 1928 comments and still counting. Almost all the comments were highly critical of Rahul Gandhi(refer Screenshot). Some of comments were

Is this a joke? Your party and family ruled the country for the past 50 years and you were part of govt in the past 6 years. Did you forget 2G happened under your nose. Hero? You should be in Jail.

I think TOI should take a copy of all these comments posted on this article and send that to Congress Party headquarters. If there is one single sensible person left in the party which has completely forgotten its responsibilities and has become the most immoral, unethical & corrupt party of the country, they should know the opinions of the countrymen about their party, their leaders and their policies. If a little sense of self-esteem still exists in them, they should immediately dissolve their party, vacate the PM chair and withdraw from the Indian politics...

Having failed in plan A, now it seems Media and Rahuls PR team has rolledout Plan B. Most of Media houses are now reporting that “Justice Iyer apologizes to Rahul Gandhi”

ToI in its article Justice Iyer apologizes to Rahul Gandhi writes

Former Supreme Court judge VR Krishna Iyer, who had launched a scathing attack on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, on Monday sent an apology letter to him.\

Almost identical news was carried by Rediff, Midday etc

All this Hype makes one wonder what was this apology. Following is the text of so called apology

"Forgive me if I have been bitter in my letter to you. I am too old (97) and critical of parties CPM and Congress for governmental delinquencies," 

PErhaps we are missing something., Media Watch even after best efforts cannot even a scent of apology in the above. BUt we can clearly see sarcasm. It is amazing how a sarcastic comment from Justice Iyer is twisted out of context and made to look like an apology!

This reminds us of the of the blackmoney issues in which  Media Passed off rebuke by LK Advani to Sonia as Apology

Statement of Niira Radia to CBI

ANI please get your facts right and stop insulting our Intelligence!

This entry into Media Hall of SHAME is about a shocking half baked and ill-informed report in Indian Express.

Indian Express in its report Kottyam locals bar women from temple seems to be arguing for “Temple rules should be same”!

The reports starts with

Kottayam Local oppose entry of entry of women into mahalakshi Temple. Expressing displeasure over permission granted to women in Maharashtra to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Mahalakshmi temple, residents of Kerala's Kottayam town said such the practice is a violation of traditional customs.

Author is at wits end to understand why would a reporter of ANI travel all the way to Kottayam district of kerala to get a reaction on permission granted to women in Maharashtra to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Mahalakshmi temple! It seems that the reporter is talking about Sabarimala Temple in Kerala but it is located in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala.

Then the reporter asks the view of a person whom they described as “local”. According to the Suresh, the local who surprisingly speaks in Tamil!

'I think women should not be allowed inside the Sabarimala temple. I mean, from age 10 till 50, they should not be allowed. I am not saying that women should be completely prohibited in the temple. The temple has certain rules and regulations. One should follow that,' said Suresh, a local.

Media Watch think the reporter needs a crash course on India as to the best of Authors knowledge local language in Kottayam is Malayalam!

Then ANI interviews “another Local” who also speaks in Tamil

Shockingly, some locals maintained that permitting women to pray inside the shrines would make them 'impure'.
'When women come to the temple, the purity of the temple would be lost. So, to maintain the tradition of the temple, only women are not permitted inside it,' said Nirmal Kumar, a local.

If you watch the video carefully the person is not saying “permitting women to pray inside the shrines would make them 'impure'” he is very clearly indicating that when women during menstruation should not be allowed in temple. It is a well accepted and followed tradiution in Kerala that Women during menstruation donot enter temple or take part in any religious function.

Then Reporter goes on to make an outrageous claim that

several temples in India traditionally Ban or restrict women or lower caste people dalits. For years now several now several activists have been protesting against perceived gender bias practiced in many Hindu separate Hindu establishments across India stressing on urgent need of reforms to make religious sites more inclusive for devotees 

It is shocking that a National newspaper like Indian Express would carry a news article with such glaring mistakes (not sure if its intentional)

1. Sabarimala Temple is not in Kottayam but in Pathanamthitta district  of Kerala.

2. Majority of keralites speak Malayalam. One could have understood local speaking tamil in districts of Palakkad or Tiruvandapuram as it borders TamilNadu. But Kottayam is Kerala Heartland! One would hardly find a local there who can speak Tamil such fluently!

3. In the second interview it seems interviewer has deliberately misreported what interviewee was saying! One could not help reporting it as deliberate mischief!

4. Lastly, One can understand and appreciate Interviewesr zeal to have more “inclusive” temples. Perhaps it would come as a shock to her that there are temples and functions in Kerala where Men are not allowed. One such function is Attukal Pongala. More than three million women gather during this ceremony to offer pongala to Attukal Amma the Hindu goddess making it the largest gathering of women on earth and no men are allowed here!

5. Also, one would have appreciated if Reporter has not generalised by saying “several temples in India traditionally Ban or restrict women or lower caste people Dalits”. It is more of an exception than norm! 

 

 

Indian Express plays with headlines quotes Modi govt raped women!

This entry to Media Hall of Shame is shameful play with headlines by IE.

The main news on IE Webpage reads (see screenshots)

'Modi govt grabbed tribals' land in Narmada, raped women'

Any casual reader would be interpret headline as ‘Modi Govt raped women’

However, once you click on the link, the headline reads (see screenshots)

Modi govt committing excesses on tribals, alleges Medha

Which is totally different from the headlines in first page of IE Website.

The Mischief becomes more glaring when  you read thru what Medha had actually said about rape of tribals. She said

"Some displaced tribal women of SSP had been raped but there was no place where they can get their complaint registered in Gujarat,"

It is very clear that unlike what IE wants its readers to believe, she is not blaming Modi Government of rape. She is just stating a fact that some of displaced women were raped and there were no proper redressal mechanism.