Sham or Shame : Decoding Modi's Press Conference

Mr. Narendra Modi’s participation in Amit Shah’s press conference in the BJP headquarters revealed the fact how the leader of the ruling party looks at the media and is not ready to face their questions. At the time when media is totally spineless except for a few, Modi’s inability to even take a few questions reflect his fears about his performance. He delivered a statement and claimed that his party would win over three hundred seats. Well, after seeing Modi Shah duo, I will wait for the last vote is counted. I know from May 19th till the last vote is counted. the spineless media will attempt everything to steal the mandate if they fail.

Those who are suggesting that this is the ‘only’ press conference by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure are absolutely mistaken because this ‘press conference’ was not organized by the Government of India or PIB but by the ruling party in it headquarter. Even in that, it was Amit Shah who was batting on behalf of Modi while Modi’s face was clueless and blank.

His statement only made the point about ‘his’ personality and ‘strength’ that he campaigned so much without getting disturbed from the nook and corner of the country. He also wanted media to convey how ‘great’ a ‘democracy’ are we as if India was voting for the first time. The one point that he made was that and it reflect his ‘satisfaction’ and perhaps fear too was that his was the ‘only’ ‘government’ that was ‘elected’ or ‘mandated’ by people other than the ‘family’ governments. Narendra Modi has therefore acknowledged that except for Congress’s first family, his was the only government which took decisions and therefore insulted the other governments which he claimed for ‘one’ year’ or so. He forgot to give credit to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s five years term though we don’t expect him acknowledging the contribution of P V Narsimha Rao and Dr Man Mohan Singh.

Both Modi and Shah are sure that BJP would get more than 300 seats on its own. I am sure given their ‘arrangements’; this claim will only instill fears in the minds of those who are looking for independent polls. Yes, the Bhakta media will start building up narrative from May 19th morning itself. Attempt are being made to influence these seats also but we know that people will vote according to their conscience and not as per media whims and fancies.

We still hope that this country has voted against politics of hatred and one man show despite all the technological and institutional flaws. This is a request to political parties again to keep their differences aside and don’t allow your spokespersons to respond to Exit polls because this will only create further confusion. Political parties must wait till the last vote is counted and remain united. We can see many things before this government technically demits office. You may see Income Tax, EDs, CBIs and media hounding the opposition. Anything and everything are possible under this dispensation and constitutional bodies will not be able to do. Amidst hundred lies, if action is taken on two then it does not work. This will be the biggest challenge before all of us.

Meanwhile, enjoy the ‘Press Conference’ of Prime minister and ‘briefing’ of Rahul Gandhi on your TV screens. Whether you call it a Press conference or #sham or #shame, the choice is yours.

Vidya Bhushan Rawat