For years you have seen Rifat Jawaid give grief to politicians while holding them to account. On 27 October, while speaking at Janta Ka Conclave in Kolkata, the editor-in-chief of Janta Ka Reporter, broke down in public.
Rifat was introducing the segment to felicitate his mentor and the former editor of The Statesman, Michael Flannery, for his contribution to journalism.
He recalled how Michael was the one who believed in Rifat’s ability as a journalist and gave him his first break. Rest, he added, was history.
Reacting to the public display of emotions, the conclave’s chief guest, Derek O’Brien, said that he was incredibly moved by the ‘guru-shishya’ tradition.
Asking for a round of applause in honour of Rifat, the parliamentary party leader of the TMC said, “Today what I saw from you was so much of emotion and it’s so beautiful to see a grown-up man cry. And I am so happy that there are still some people like you in the world, who say thank you to their mentors…To me whatever questions you ask me today and whatever answer I give you, I will perhaps forget, but what you did to Mike by honouring him, that’s beautiful.”