Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Maharashtra, ‘journalist’ Nadeem Ahmad Kazmi took to Twitter to mock Shiv Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde. However, when it was pointed out that he works for NDTV, the ‘journalist’ promptly forgot about the Shiv Sena leader and instead took off on an unhinged rant against the propaganda channel. Kazmi is actually no more associated with NDTV as the channel had fired him in the year 2017, but his Twitter bio still shows he is working for the controversial channel.
Earlier in the day, Nadeem Ahmed Kazmi wrote an insulting Tweet against Shinde who, along with his group of MLAs is on the verge of successfully charting out their rebellion from the Shiv Sena. “Decency matters…Shinde will be an auto driver again…just mark my words,” Tweeted the ‘journalist’.
The so-called NDTV journalist raked up Shinde’s humble past in order to disparage him. Eknath Shinde, who has engineered the biggest revolt to hit Shiv Sena in over 15 years, was once an auto-rickshaw driver in Thane city adjoining Mumbai. In 1980, he was influenced by Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray and joined the party, working as a Sainik. Over time, Shinde, a four-time MLA who holds urban development and PWD portfolios in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, emerged as a key Sena leader in the Thane-Palghar region in Maharashtra.
A Twitter user Varun Sharma (@LogicalHindu_) shared the screenshot of Kazmi’s vilifying Tweet alongside the screenshot of his Twitter bio where he still identifies himself as an NDTV journalist. Tagging the channel’s editorial director Sonia Singh, consulting editor Nidhi Razdan and news anchor Gargi Rawat Ansari, Varun Sharma wrote, “.@nadeemkazmi64 is a Journalist with NDTV. Proud of you @soniandtv , @Nidhi , @GargiRawat – for teaching your colleagues decency, manners and ethics.
.@nadeemkazmi64 is a Journalist with NDTV.
— Varun Sharma (@LogicalHindu_) June 23, 2022
Proud of you @soniandtv , @Nidhi , @GargiRawat – for teaching your colleagues decency, manners and ethics. pic.twitter.com/IZOkSoL3X8
Twitter user Varun Sharma, in his subsequent Tweet, tagged the Press Club of India, asking whether they endorse the remarks made by their general secretary Nadeem Ahmed Kazmi.
NDTV’s editorial director Sonia Singh responded to Varun Sharma’s Tweets and informed that Nadeem Ahmed Kazmi is no more associated with the channel. “He has not been with NDTV since 2017,” Tweeted Sonia Singh.
Sonia Singh’s comment incensed Kazmi, who embarked on a full attack mode against the channel. In an extremely curt reply, Kazmi wrote, “Matter is subjudice. NDTV has been slapped with 10 k fine for not appearing in the court Pls find out from your lawyers. Thanks..”
Another Twitter user responded by asking what went wrong between him and NDTV, to which Kazmi claimed that in 2017, the channel had unceremoniously thrown him out despite him giving two decades of his career to the channel.
I was illegally removed from my duty despite giving 2 decades of my prime time to the organisation. I stood fir them on crucial times but they ..you know..i suffered immensely and forced to leave Delhi. Have no source of income at the fag end of life at 58.
— nadeem ahmad kazmi (@nadeemkazmi64) June 23, 2022
“I was illegally removed from my duty despite giving 2 decades of my prime time to the organisation. I stood fir them on crucial times but they ..you know..i suffered immensely and forced to leave Delhi. Have no source of income at the fag end of life at 58,” said Kazmi as he went on an unhinged rant against the controversial channel.
Interestingly, even though Kazmi himself complained that the channel had wrongfully fired him, he still refers to himself as an NDTV employee. A part of his Twitter bio reads, “working with NDTV”.
His Linkedin profile also reads he is on “assignment at NDTV.”
It may be recalled that on June 20, Shiv Sena leader and Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde was reported ‘missing’ along with several MLAs. The reports of him being ‘out of reach’ came out after legislative council elections on Monday. There have been rumours floating around that some of the Shiv Sena MLAs cross-voted in the elections resulting in the BJP winning the MLC seats.
Yesterday (June 22), a total of Shiv Sena 34 MLAs signed a letter in support of Shinde, and now the number of party MLAs in Guwahati has gone up to 35. After the initial movement of MLAs led by Eknath Shinde from Surat to Guwahati, 7 more MLAs arrived in Assam, and the number has now increased to 42. Three leaders reportedly reached Guwahati this morning, while another four had already joined the camp Wednesday night.
