Shekhar Gupta should not stand before the mirror for too long in the morning!

Shekhar Gupta is not an Editor but only an opinionated journalist masquerading as an editor. An editor has principles that he supports. Does not fly with the current wind. He does not support or oppose persons because they come and go. He is concerned only with their thoughts and actions which leave a mark. An editor does not try to connect unconnected actions and find a common thread and invent one if there is no thread connecting.  And hardly goes into tom toming about himself by anecdotes after anecdotes which are unlikely to be contradicted. A journalist, on the other hand, attaches himself to an issue dear to him and goes after hammer and tong. He is a person-centered writer. He projects based on his discoveries what shape that person or issue is likely to take. A journalist is more intent on scoring points in competition with others boasting I told you so, I was the first one to tell, etc. while an editor is very much detached personally with issues.

He starts with the wrong step. News media has been the last to help in creating a trend of thought. It picks it up and then goes overboard almost trying to create an impression it created the trend. In India media is totally biased. You can recall their projections of election results. It will vary with their bias. Did Gupta ever evaluated BJP's manifesto? He was stuck on Modi and 2002. Since then he has been projecting the downfall of Modi and is still waiting. But keeps his drum beating without tiring.

Then he goes no recounting history and his role in it. He becomes lion now talking about Emergency and Indira Gandhi. You should have seen the video of his recent interview of Sonia Gandhi. He was a shining example of a wet cat. Yes, bheegi billi. Even a third rate journalist would have asked more pointed questions. But not this 'Editor'. He has great consideration for women. Especially when he gets an opportunity to boast (nothing unusual about it) that it was the only interview she gave. Think, would she have selected him for him first had he been seriously opposed to Emergency, not now, but at that time it was imposed? All drama.

I don't care to analyze the next couple of paragraphs. But I really cannot make out how his recounting of history 'establishes the four points raised by him'. In fact I do not see any connection with the points he 'establishes' and the preceding history lesson.

Gupta's first point is proved wrong by his own recounting of Emergency. Media was throttled during Emergency but still Indira Gandhi won the election shortly after the Emergency!

His second point is also totally wrong. Media are business establishments to make money. They are not charities supported by donations. Their profitability depends on revenue and revenue depends on readership. Readers have their own views about government and there are always pro and anti establishment papers and so are the people decided, irrespective of whether the government is good or bad. Do not forget Emergency lasted for years, rightly or wrongly, with the support of  a substantial number of, if not majority of people. If media had the power to change governments, we would never had emergency!

Shekhar Gupta should be looking at his own face in the mirror quite a lot. With a halo around it to boot! As much dictators and oppressors are just incidents in history, so are those who fought with them. They are eternally joined together. You cannot think of Ram without simultaneously thinking of Ravana. Whatever Shekhar Gupta may think of himself, he should grow up and look at his face now with a bald head not with a full crop of hair in it, if ever it had any. Now people see in his face only a tired fighter of imaginary wars with a warrior, who has walked out on him to win several more wars, while he is still fighting his old war.

Does Shekhar Gupta arrogate to himself the title of "Leader of all Media"? Indian visual media is much more powerful and the days of newspapers are getting more and more limited, and that too with the help of internet. Not PAPER. The notice has been issued to visual media and they are quite capable of taking care of themselves. Does he forget that he is a paid contributor to the visual media and not vice versa? Or does he forget that he is also on the take from foreign agencies on the sly as had been reported?

(I learn just now that Shekhar Gupta has quit Indian Express to join India Today, a media group which has been alleged to have foreign connections.)