HRD Minister Smriti Irani has often used social media to counter untruths regarding her and her ministry. Earlier this year, she had rebuked Rajdeep Sardesai for his half-baked tweets. And last year, she took on Suhasini Haider and The Hindu. Now it seems it was the turn of Bhupendra Chaubey and his channel, CNN News 18.
It started with some run-of-the-mill news show promotion tweets by CNN News 18 and Bhupendra Chaubey. CNN News 18 later deleted the tweet:
The minister chose to reply to CNN News 18’s tweet with this:
@CNNnews18@bhupendrachaube I’m sorry but I have not spoken to Bhupendra Chaubey, kindly don’t edit any statement out of context.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 25, 2016
CNN News 18’s original tweet suggested that Smriti Irani had spoken to Bhupendra Chaubey, which probably alarmed the minister because she had not spoken to him at all. At this stage, Bhupendra Chaueby clarified:
only anchoring a program where we carrying a small part of your interview to @virsanghvi. No quoting out of context https://t.co/3WFYTzUzDp
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) April 25, 2016
To this, Irani again tweeted:
I haven’t spoken re any individual student or named them. Have reconfirmed the same telephonically wid @virsanghvihttps://t.co/Q76CTH6Wb3
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 25, 2016
Chaubey now acknowledged that she was right on this issue. Vir Sanghvi, who conducted the interview, also tweeted something similar:
You r right madam. As I said we are only carrying a part of interview.Do watch if time permits. Hope to see you soon https://t.co/JBcnP0UEcy
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) April 25, 2016
For the record, in my Virtuosity interview with @smritiirani she refused to comment on any individual student or on the govt handling of JNU
— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) April 25, 2016
Watch the full interview with @smritiirani this Saturday at 9.30 pm to get the full context. Apologies for any miscommunication! @CNNnews18
— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) April 25, 2016
Possibly, soon after this exchange, CNN News 18 deleted the original tweet. Interestingly, Vir Sanghvi makes another point in his tweet, which should be noted. He says Smriti Irani refused to comment on the Government handling of JNU. This flies in the face of Chaubey’s own tweet where he claimed the minister broke her silence on the same issue:
Even the snippet of the interview which was telecast confirmed the above. On the question of commenting on this matter, the minister refused to answer saying she cannot comment on a law and order issue which is not her jurisdiction, and which is being deliberated upon in a court of law. While News 18 took down their misleading tweet, Chaubey didn’t.
And after this episode, Chaubey tweeted this:
अगर ट्विटर वासियों का बस चले तो सारे न्यूज़ चैनल्ज़ और पत्रकार बंद हो जाएँ। अरे भाई तो देखते क्यों हो। जीवन का सदुपयोग करो।
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) April 25, 2016
Maybe its time we take up his advice?
