File Picture : ANI/X
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA government is now in it’s 12th year at the helm . Naturally the BJP is in buoyant mood and credit the success to the popularity and the leadership of the Prime Minister, However despite its electoral dominance it is under fire from critics because of it’s double speak on several issues and remaining defiant . But that’s not the case when issues are related to non -BJP parties.
This attribute is the enough reason why i decided to rename the NDA ( National Democratic Alliance) to my rather cryptic heading N(ever) D (are) A (sk). Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan is in the eye of the storm over the NEET paper leaks and CBSE results in 2026. The minister admitted the NEET and CBSE goof ups but has not offered to resign or step down . There is immense pressure on him to resign but Pradhan refuses to budge.
Moreover , It is the same Pradhan viewers who was vocal in questioning the laxity of then West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the teacher’s recruitment scam in August , 2022 and reportedly wrote a letter saying the “irregularities” in recruitment of teachers in the state will “certainly hamper” the quality of education and demotivate the future generation. It is classic case of double speak . Rather than grilling Pradhan over the issues news channels ( Godi media) have decided it seems to back Pradhan and not dare ask for his resignation . BUt a slight hint of irregularities in non- BJP states lifts the spirit of new news channels anchors on Prime time seeking resignation/ouster..
The sudden rise of fuel prices – Petrol, Diesel and LPG post assembly election results on May 4 saw news channels for a while showed the agony of the comman man who were angst with the surge and how it will impact their daily lives . But the channels very astutely toed the government line when it was pointed out by Hardeep Singh Puri and other BJP spokespersons . The matter was said to be Global and the West Asia crisis etc . Interestingly Under NDA it is cited as Global problem , But ironically the same issues by the then BJP and NDA when in oppostion had slammed the Dr Manmohan Singh Led UPA saying that such scenario arose due to weak government, ineffective Prime Minister, and policy paralysis blah blah .
Hardeep Singh Puri also cleared the air on the alleged Epstein links by giving interviews to several anchors who rather at first in their ticker’s promised to grill but ended up having a coffee with him . The so- called grilling never took place. But instead the anchors obiodiently listened to his side of the story and agreed to his stance . The so called Super Exclusive was a damp squib .
US President Donald Trump imposed 50% Tarrifs an then reduced to 18 % in february 2026 after Trump claimed that Prime Ministyer Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian Oil . Yet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did react but did not take on US President Trump directly by naming him or slammed the US for it’s actions . Perhaps the the mega Indo- US Trade deal set to finalised soon possibly could have held back her anger. Moreover, the Finance Minister has been quick to rebuff whatever comments on Indian economy by LoP Rahul Gandhi but on the US she has chosen to stay mum. The channels to had not dared to ask her take on the slide of the Rupee against the US Dollar .
The so called Hard facts, Nation wants to know stood as mute spectators when Dr. Shamika Ravi, a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Economic Advisory Council (PM-EAC), sparked a major debate by stating that concerns about the rupee weakening to 100 against the US dollar are misplaced, famously remarking, “So what? 100 is just a number”. She was not grilled by any news channel on her outrageous comments . The Channels instead went in damage control mode and did interviews of another PM-EAC member (who loves hopping from one studio to another) where the anchors as usual happily listened to his views side-stepping the real issue with no counter questions . The so called unmissable interview was yet another dud…
Infiltration from Bangaldesh in West Bengal was raised vocally by BJP during it’s campaign and their eventual victory in West Bengal . Home Minister Amit Shah soon after had claimed the nearly 5000- 10, 000 illegel immigrants were leaving West Bengal everyday. Has any news channel showed the visuals of the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants leaving ? No . The same channels if you recall had shown visuals of illegal indians deported by US in their military planes and that too hand- cuffed and had spraked furore in India . Here again no question to Amit Shah by anyone on his tall claims as yet .
Ministers and NDA government are answerable to the people and the onus is on media to take bipartisan approach to these pressing issues as mentioned above. If they are unable to pose tough questions to governemnt and happy hosting Summits and question only oppostion leader’s /parties then calling them Godi media is perfectly apt .
Finally, If Nehru even after his death in 1964 is still asked questions on China issue of 1962 ( and widely blamed by the current dispensation on every issue) , Indira Gandhi/ Congress asked to apologise for Emergency and Rajiv Gandhi for anti- sikh riots of 1984 then questions have to asked to NDA and it’s ministers for their failures too . They cannot brazen it out just of numbers numbers in Parliament in their favour . Accountability cannot ever be one- sided . That if allowed to happen is dangerous for Democracy.
