CNN IBN journalist gets roasted for soft ball interview with Rahul Gandhi

About a year back the India Today managed to the interview of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and during the buildup, it was advertised as the “biggest interview of the decade”. After the interview conducted by controversial journalist Rajdeep Sardesai aired, it was soon re branded by social media users as The fixed interview of the decadeprimarily for its softball nature.

Yesterday, CNN News18 started creating a similar build-up to an interview of Congress President elect Rahul Gandhi:

https://twitter.com/CNNnews18/status/940857690351423488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Considering the fact that the interview was being conducted after the Gujarat poll campaign, one felt that, CNN News18 would do justice to journalism and pose tough questions to Rahul Gandhi, like asking as to why did he lie multiple times during the election campaign. Rahul’s lies were so widespread that even Tata Motors (which was at the receiving end of the one such lie) had to come out with a statement debunking them.

Possibly one of the first signs that the interview would contain no firebrand content was the fact that it was being conducted by Journalist Pallavi Ghosh. Pallavi has attained notoriety on twitter for being a ‘fan’ of the Gandhis, if one goes by these tweets:

https://twitter.com/_pallavighosh/status/800727175867535360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/_pallavighosh/status/705005962470359041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/_pallavighosh/status/813757472880152576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Almost predictably this is what happened, and the interview whose clip was also shared by the Congress, saw Pallavi asking Rahul soft questions and at one point even expressed her desire to meet Rahul Gandhi’s dog Pidi (Video via @LOLiyapa):

https://twitter.com/LOLiyapa/status/941132704103272448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The tone and tenor of the interview gave out a feeling that it was more of a PR platform for Rahul Gandhi than a means to make him answer some tough questions.

Social Media users as a result weren’t happy and decided to roast Pallavi for her approach:

https://twitter.com/divya_16_/status/941000135600848896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/RatanSharda55/status/941172673660444672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/rajivji019/status/940888635464851456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/LOLiyapa/status/940889040399712263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/rkgeemail/status/941125359474327552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Such an interview raises the question as to whether journalists and media houses are more interested in currying favour with the political establishment even though it means committing a grave travesty of journalism.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia