Samajwadi Party carried out a massive rally in Uttar Pradesh flouting all COVID protocols. While the party’s official Twitter handle shared videos and photographs as show of strength, friendly journalist Rohini Singh of The Wire, questioned ‘Noida channels’ for not giving enough airtime to the party led by Akhilesh Yadav.
Noida channels would keep asking where is the opposition but will refuse to see the opposition whenever it is on the streets. pic.twitter.com/J7WPu382QD
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) August 5, 2021
She wondered why the news channels based in Noida were ‘refusing’ to see the opposition ‘whenever it is on the streets’ and shared the video of the massive rally which violated all COVID-related protocols.
It must be noted that during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, when The Wire journalist was associated with Economic Times, she had come under fire from the netizens for having quite a pro-Samajwadi Party coverage and creating an atmosphere that the BJP will lose elections.
It must also be noted that Singh’s name had appeared in the infamous Niira Radia audio tapes where the current founding Editor of The Wire MK Venu had allegedly asked the lobbyist to connect Singh to some influential people since she has just joined Economic Times. These tapes were released in 2010. Singh quit ET to join The Wire run by Venu as one of the founding editors.
Interestingly, Singh had earlier condemned the political rallies in West Bengal ahead of assembly elections.
Her tweets from earlier this year show how she was upset over rallies being conducted by the BJP.At the peak of Covid cases when people were begging for oxygen and dying in parking lots of hospitals, ‘Didi o Didi’ and thrilling over crowds in rallies was happening. Now that cases have decreased ‘choked’ voice and homage to the dead is being paid. Ok then.
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) May 21, 2021
However, the massive rally by Samajwadi Party seems to be a welcome sight to her.‘Don’t go to hill stations. Come to my rallies.’ https://t.co/DmSMLXduRm
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) July 15, 2021
Amusingly, Singh had earlier condemned the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand and called it a ‘super spreader event’.
The latest PMO forward is how states were warned in advance. Perhaps. But then why did you do massive rallies? Why did you gloat about crowds at those rallies? Why did you consistently appear without masks? Why did you encourage super spreader events like Kumbh?
— Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) April 22, 2021
The most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh, goes to polls early next year.
