NEW DELHI: In a recent interview with the Group Editor and Editor-in-Chief of Times Now Navbharat’s Navika Kumar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was cornered by the prominent journalist regarding the issue of controversial figures joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The conversation touched upon the induction of individuals previously criticised for their alleged involvement in corruption and criminal activities.
Navika Kumar questioned the Finance Minister about the party’s stance on welcoming individuals who were once considered “icons of corruption”. She specifically mentioned Ajit Pawar, who has been linked to an irrigation scam worth 70,000 crore, yet is now being hailed as an icon of development in Maharashtra.
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Navika derisively used the famous dialogue from the 70s blockbuster Sholay which Dharmendra’s character uses to imply jail terms and the manual labour required from convicts in them – chakki peesing and peesing.
Every sector has seen visible development happening… 370 is not just a dream or a command for the BJP workers, it is a realizable target: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) tells @NavikaKumar @DreamSportsHQ @Pernod_Ricard @Maruti_Corp pic.twitter.com/xmxd29OFeE
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) March 27, 2024
Responding to the pointed questions, Sitharaman emphasised that the BJP’s focus remains on real development policies. She stated, “Real development policies happen and keep happening, nothing changes it. People are welcome to join the BJP. But the core work of the BJP whether it is today, whether it is BJP of 2014, or BJP of earlier or even JanSangh has continued. I am not saying A is an opportunist or B is & C is not. If people see work happening and they think as political representatives on the ground a party is making a difference, they obviously would want to come and join. But BJP’s values systems and the way in which the party runs under a certain leadership continues. I don’t think there is ever a compromise on that.”
When asked about the party’s openness to inducting individuals with pending criminal cases, Sitharaman reiterated the party’s welcoming stance. She affirmed, “As I said, the party is open, we welcome everybody.”
Smt @nsitharaman in a fireside chat with Smt @navikakumar, Group Editor-in-Chief, @TNNavbharat and @TimesNow, at the Times Now Summit 2024 in New Delhi.#TNSummit2024 pic.twitter.com/JH0o5OwnDF
— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) March 27, 2024
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The interview highlighted the BJP’s approach to party membership and its commitment to development policies, even amidst criticism regarding the induction of controversial figures.
Netizens were taken by surprise by the sly questioning of Navika Kumar, who has often been controversially labeled a part of the “Godi media”, a pejorative term popularised by Ravish Kumar, another prominent journalist, about sensationalist and biased Indian print and TV news media, which is perceived to support the ruling NDA government (since 2014).