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Karan Thapar's Interview with Rahul Bajaj

This was shown on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate Program

Never have sparks flown so vigorously between an arrogant former CEO and one persistent and sharp interrogator(Karan Thapar), ahigh Profile Scuffle and I was flabbergasted after I saw the interview.I never knew that Rahul Bajaj was such a megalaomaniac who had such a huge ego complex. It’s extremely shameful to see such people try to guard their ego's with false statements and careless statements.Karan Thapar interview has simply shown that Rahul Bajaj does not have the emotional intelligence,to counter Karan's questions.Karan's verve of asking questions certainly is way too intrusive and has built up an image of the symbolism of arrogance and shamelessness, as construed by the general population, but if you ask me, he is one of the very few journalists that can rattle the politicians/bigwigs with his style of asking questions.

If I were a CEO/Bigwig, who's fooled around somewhere with the law, I would summarily reject an interview with Karan Thapar, rather than going on the show and subjecting myself to shame. The whole problem comes when people or ministers, who ignore this basic gut feel, and to protect their self inflated ego's get mired even more into the political quagmire/quicksand they stay in, when they attend a Karan Thapar interview.

Taking this specific interview into question, I liked the way Karan insisted with Rahul Bajaj, on topics like "Rahul's schoolboy like plea that he wasn't a politician' and questioning his political moves in terms of understanding the sentiments of the Maharashtrian farmers,when the suicide rates were alarmingly shooting up.Rahul Bajaj..seems to have given highly illogical answers to the following questions


1)Three months before,when some one asked Rahul Bajaj,whether he would get into politics,He said "Mujhe Paagal Kutte ne Kaata kya?,Mein Pagal hoon Kya " (Did a mad,rabid dog bite me and make me mad,why on earth should I enter Politics)...and now he's entered as a Rajya Sabha MP...so is he mad :-) ?

He seemed to be playing for time,by taking the irrelevant route by calling Karan Thapar names,and going on munching obstinately that he was an MP,but technically not a Politician.The most shameful and spiteful thing came up,when Rahul Bajaj,at a loss for ideas and words for counter attacking Karan, questioned him on his lineage in terms of Schools and also had the cheapish gall to say that He went to better schools than Karan Thapar.

Exact words : from the Interview:Excerpts from CNN-IBN LIVE

Rahul Bajaj: No I have not joined politics. I have joined the Rajya Sabha. I am delighted to be in the Rajya Sabha.


Karan Thapar: But the Rajya Sabha is a part of politics, Mr Bajaj.


Rahul Bajaj: Being a citizen of a democracy you are also part of politics Mr Thapar.


Karan Thapar: No, being a citizen of a democracy is not what joining the Rajya Sabha as an MP is. Why are you so reluctant to accept that? I have repeatedly heard you saying in interviews that independent MPÂ?s are not politicians but you are completely wrong.


Rahul Bajaj: I never said anything of that sort. I have repeatedly said that I have no desire to get into politics.


Karan Thapar: But you have just got into politics.


Rahul Bajaj: I have not got into politics. If I got elected in a party ticket or if I decided to work for a political party if I decided to work in villages if I decided to make slogans of garibi hatao, with no desire to do that, all that I will not do. I have not taken any obligations from any party. I donÂ?t want to be obligated.


Karan Thapar: Mr Bajaj you are wonderful with words but the problem is that you are short on logic. Parliament and being an MP is part of politics.


Rahul Bajaj: Where did you go to school Karan?


Karan Thapar: Is that relevant?


Rahul Bajaj: It is very relevant because your logic is illogical.


Karan Thapar:If it is relevant I will tell you. I went to Doon School, Cambridge, Oxford and I know a lot about politics.


Rahul Bajaj: I went to Cathedral, St. Stephens, and Harvard, slightly better than you in every respect. So I understand logic. But I am a humble man unlike you.

Karan Thapar: I am not sure you are showing humility at the moment. You are showing a lot of defiance.


Rahul Bajaj: The audience will judge that.


Karan Thapar: The world assumes and has done so for generations, maybe even centuries.





2)Questioning the Loyalty of his allegiance with the Congress/Gandhi Family

Given the fact that he had named his son Rajiv, second son Sanjiv, just like Indira Gandhi did, got his name, when Nehruji named him Rahul ...and after all those close assosiations,he took the route to the MP seat in the Rajya Sabha, through the BJP and Shiv sena, thus betraying the congress sentiments and relations he had for 70 years.

Rahul again was meandering on insane logic, by bringing personal ego issues and shouting in an obnoxious higher voice to use his superiority. My take is that people use such a mask, only when their character cannot protect their hideous interiors.Rahul Bajaj was seemingly more interested in scrambling away the questions that Karan Thapar had put to him. Rahul's jaunty way of answering questions was a mask, of still asserting that he could not be bullied into submission, but Mr. Bajaj if you are listening, EMPTY VESSELS MAKE MORE NOISE...and your case is no different. He could have chosen to calmly answer the questions pretending to be unflustered, as that would have been a fitting reply to Karan's barrage, just as Rahul Dravid deflates the bowlers confidence by defending the ball, like a wall. Attack only if you have the ammunition to cart the questions away, else let it go...and present a pallid face, which would at least not make you go down as deep as you have in the minds of the people.

It was interesting to see Karan Thapar catching Rahul Bajaj,who was like a silkworm, getting caught in his own web of words. If Rahul Belives Karan;s interview was a way to regale all the MP's in Rajya Sabha with his statements...I guess Rahul Bajaj has just had his biggest Faux-Pas

On the whole, it just shows how easy it is to bring down a larger than life image/persona, self proclaimed state-of-apotheosis-filled Politicians to its rightful levels of nadir.

My Verdict..Rahul is one of those MP's whose image has just been busted before the people by Karan,when he could have chosen to diplomatically answer and play safe. This typically like a no 11 batsmen trying to hook a Shoaib Akthar Bouncer when he cant actually bat for nuts.Thanks anyway Mr Bajaj, to show us your loutish...attitude Mr Hyde image before the people of Maharashtra vote in vain for you.



These are the Videos of the interview Video Clipping 1

Video Clipping 2