wooWhat does the letter ‘A’ mean? In this week’s political alphabet, ‘A’ stands for ‘AAP’, ‘A’ for ‘arrest’, ‘A’ for ‘accused number 1’, which news channels call Delhi’s ‘licker gate’ . The ‘A’ also stands for AAP’s ‘logic’, which several TV anchors said was ‘amplified’ by the BJP government with Manish Sisodia’s CBI inquiry.
However, it was not only the BJP and the Center that ‘amplified’ the AAP’s message. Television news channels also extended a helping hand with their wall-to-wall coverage of Sisodia’s convoy till the CBI headquarters in Delhi on Monday morning. This gave the party an opportunity to do ‘tamasha’ (India Today) – that republic tv The reporter said that could be seen “all over the country”.
In fact, your ability to “turn a crisis into an opportunity” (India Today), to “project” himself as a victim of “political vendetta” (zee hindustan) – and comparing Sisodia to Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh – has been the hallmark of the entire sequence of events since Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena this July ordered an inquiry into allegations of corruption in Delhi’s liquor excise policy.
And maybe, just maybe, you’d like to say a big thank you to the media, but especially to TV news channels for its advertising, “event management” consultants (Zee News,
Note that the channels devoted themselves for more than two hours to the progress of Sisodia from his home to Rajghat and then to the CBI office. Congress’ presidential elections held after 22 years were almost ignored except for the vote of the Gandhi family.
Read also: Liquor Darwaza, Sharab Raj, Operation Lutus – all the fun of the current raid in TV news
Sisodia’s ‘arrest’, a message
Like BJP, AAP also knows that media is its best ally. Consider the Sisodia-CBI episode. On Sunday, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi made it clear that he had been summoned by the investigating agency. Immediately, AAP leaders took to social media to condemn the move. More importantly, he gave liberally quotable quotes that “fiction” (NDTV India) that Sisodia will be “arrested” soon.
Time and again all the leaders from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the bottom spread the news of the impending arrest. Sisodia hasn’t been arrested yet, it doesn’t matter to AAP at all – what matters is that he has put this idea in public mind. ,now turnManish Sisodia giraffeR?’ Asked ABP News, “The perception that it is political,” declared news 24 anchor.
Come Monday morning and the drama began: “Accused No. 1 to be grilled,” announced republic tv, First of all, we saw the visuals of Sisodia wearing Bhagat Singh’s colors at home, on all channels Blessings from his family; Thereafter, he stood in his car with folded hands, as it headed towards the Rajghat-MK Gandhi memorial. A bike rally and “hundreds and hundreds” (times now) You jumped with the workers: “I’m with the car,” gasping India Todaycorrespondent of. “It’s a mega show of strength… it was pre-planned…”
Well, since AAP is expecting Sisodia’s questioning from July, it had plenty of time to ‘plan’ it and turn it into a media event. “Grand congratulations to Accused No. 1” was republic tvdetails of. “It looks like an election campaign,” said NDTV India, “(Sisodia’s) body language is very convincing,” said zee hindustan,
Sisodia obliged his supporters – and the media – with a speech in which he said he was not scared, that this was the second fight for independence and threw in the name of Gandhi and Bhagat Singh for good measure. He insisted that the questioning was planned because the BJP was scared ahead of the elections in Gujarat – and where AAP Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is leading an election campaign.
Sound Bytes with AAP supporters “reinforced the notion that this is political,” said news 24 and reiterated the salient points of Sisodia’s speech. This reinforces the idea that Sisodia and AAP are being targeted time and again.
The sequel to Media Management came when Sisodia showed up at Rajghat paying his respects – “Keep watching republic tv,” advised his reporter as he pursued the cavalry with great enthusiasm. You would think that Prime Minister Narendra Modi or King Charles II of Britain was going to pay tribute.
“(It) is being done so the right message has been given. (AAP) is not afraid of BJP’s politics of vendetta CNN News 19, “Apparently trying to build as much political capital as possible,” said republic tv The anchors, largely unaware that all this sympathetic TV coverage was helping to drive the AAP’s message home.
Read also: Arvind Kejriwal is smart. Congress is wrong on Sisodia’s raid. And BJP is pushing its fortunes
TV news, a helping hand
It’s not just the commentary, but the visuals played a key role in elevating the probe into possible corruption on the victory lap for Sisodia, who stood at the top of his care, waving and smiling. when India Today After the anchor told us about the corruption charges against him, the visuals showed Sisodia at Rajghat. Why, you couldn’t have imagined this scene better: Sisodia was bathing in Gandhian colors while the alleged allegations were being read…
All the while, AAP leaders like Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, were giving short TV interviews, repeating and amplifying Sisodia’s comments on being victimized, and comparing him to Gandhi or Bhagat Singh.
And then, after Sisodia’s interrogation began, Delhi Police began dragging AAP supporters on a dharna outside the CBI headquarters: “They are revolting, they are protesting – it’s their right… they drag people There are scenes to go…” Said republic tv The reporter is making AAP members heroic.
For the next 15 minutes, the focus of TV news was on the protesters and the police’s efforts to disperse them, especially AAP leader Sanjay Singh: “After all, they have (police) Sanjay Singh,” said times now The reporter, “Sanjay Singh still on the ground,” added CNN News 18 As if it was a mighty achievement. “We’re bringing you visuals… across the country…”
Cut to interview with vocal AAP members like Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj: “Why can’t people stand outside CBI while Manish Sisodia is inside?” he asked rhetorically.
And this went on till noon. Sisodia, “Most Important Person of the Day” as India Today Called him and whatever AAP said about him and the CBI probe, India’s freedom struggle and comparisons with MK Gandhi were all over TV.
Wow.
The BJP, on the other hand, responded with a press conference by Sambit Patra at 11 am – almost immediately, the AAP held a counter presser.
AAP won the perception war: It managed to divert the attention of the audience from serious allegations of corruption and grab headlines with its grand claims and counter-arguments.
The BJP found itself in an uncomfortable position to react to these claims – a role it is not used to.
The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Thoughts are personal.
(edited by Prashant)