Union Minister Prakash Javdekar is facing growing condemnation after a video of him humiliating and bullying a Times Now journalist went viral on social media. In the viral video, Javdekar, who holds the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change as well as Information & Broadcasting Ministry, is seen expressing his displeasure at the manner in which the Times Now journalist Muhammad Wajihullah spoke to him.
Surrounded by reporters, Javdekar singles out the Times Now journalist as he reacts angrily, “kya naam hai appka? (What’s your name?).” The reporter replies, “Wajihullah.” A visibly angry minister admonishes him by asking, “Wajihullah. Kaun saa paper se ho (Which newspaper are you from)?” “Times Now,’ say the reporter. Javdekar then lectures him by saying ‘to dhang se baat karo na (Talk to me properly).’
The minister then leaves the venue by warning him that he will speak to Wajiullah’s boss Navika Kumar.
@PMOIndia @narendramodi_in this is how your ministers bully reporters @PrakashJavdekar
Compare to @BJP4India I think @INCIndia respected journalist and their professional obligation to ask questions.@navikakumar hope you stood by your reporter ! pic.twitter.com/OLfiquOrIJ— Nidhi Verma निधि نيدهى (@Nidhi712) November 4, 2019
No sooner did a journalist share the video on Twitter, it evoked strong reactions from other reporters with many condemning the minister for his arrogance.
“Main Navika se baat karta Hoon.” https://t.co/m5jONBiDcs
— Parth MN (@parthpunter) November 6, 2019
Will @TimesNow stand with it’s reporter or does it think it’s perfectly fine for a reporter to be humiliated this way by a minister? https://t.co/IsLcayT97x
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) November 5, 2019
My fellow reporter @wajihulla was not just humiliated but also threatened by Union Minister for doing his job. I was there & I support Waji for asking right questions to our privileged Environment Minister who apparently only speaks on #DelhiAirEmergency at “7pm at his residence” https://t.co/4DFQBRyiYD
— Tanushree Pandey (@TanushreePande) November 6, 2019
Navika Kumar has often faced flak for her alleged biases for the BJP. She was in the news in June this year when American Indian comedian Hasan Minhaj called her India’s own Nancy Grace for her questionable media ethics.