Supporters of the Narendra Modi led NDA government have often bemoaned its utter inability to create an ecosystem of its own and have often been left flustered by the members of the BJP endorsing the very people who malign their reputation every single day of the week, apart from wishing ill to the party leaders and supporters.
Sunetra Choudhury, a journalist at the NDTV, who infamously expressed excitement at the thought of Narendra Modi suffering from swine flu, is now a valued guest at an event hosted by the government headed by the same Modi who survived the ‘exciting’ flu. Sunetra is now a ‘special invitee’ to an event organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
I am feeling v imp ( n a bit sweaty) today because the government wants to hear my views on prison reforms #BehindBarspic.twitter.com/6RabssxlWs
— sunetra choudhury (@sunetrac) January 18, 2018
The Modi government seems to be suffering from a terrible case of masochism. This isn’t the first time that Sunetra has been endorsed by the BJP. Not too long ago, senior party leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released her book at an event in New Delhi.
On another occasion, Niti Aayog had announced NDTV as its media partner for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit which was was co-hosted by the government institution. Social Media users had expressed their anger then too, for the inclusion of NDTV in the event.
Needless to say, supporters on Twitter are not happy this time around as well:
The journo who got excited hearing that Modi has swine flu, is part of some Sarkari meeting on prison reforms.
Well done, Modi Sarkar. https://t.co/NkWDpswlii
— Raju Das | ৰাজু দাস (@rajudasonline) January 18, 2018
Ministry of Rajnath Singh invite NDTV journalists as a special invitee after Finance Minister used his official handle to promote his book
This is what power has done to BJP leadership
Need I say more? https://t.co/IC5G1ShrF3
— Ravi Kant (@LegalKant) January 18, 2018
Government should invite Sanjay Dutt also #PrisonReforms https://t.co/OTshClB8QK
— sharmarohitraj (@sharmarohitraj) January 18, 2018
It’s better to abuse Modi to get Modi to consider you important. #TIL https://t.co/9xQKMj6Sdt
— Rahul Monga (@gigglemug) January 18, 2018
Social Media outrages in the past have proven to be useful though on some occasions. There was an event organized by the Swedish Embassy which was cancelled following an outrage against the embassy and Maneka Gandhi for inviting an abusive journalist to the event which linked Press Freedom with online trolling. Similarly, Ministry of Textiles had cancelled an MoU with NDTV after social media users expressed displeasure over the association.
However, the BJP it seems can not get out of its habit of appeasing the very people who hate them the most. In spite of all the outrages, it’s always only a matter of time until the government invites another of its haters to one of its events. One wonders that why would a biased media contemplate a course correction when its transgressions are being so richly rewarded?
