news views and analysis

In what can be deemed as a shameful act, Indian journalism or rather one network and one journalist sinks to another low.

Barkha Dutt….she of the screeching, shouting, TV soap opera fame has through her network sent a legal notice to Chyetanya Kunte, an Indian blogger.

During the terrorist attacks of 26/11 in Mumbai, Kunte wrote a blog post about shoddy journalism (now deleted) that targeted the shenanigans of Barkha Dutt. However the “internets” never forget and the post lives on here.

Kunte writes

If the terrorists don’t manage to shove you in to your private hell, the journalists on national television will certainly help you get there.

And that is a very valid point.

The Indian blogosphere is rightly disgusted.

Barkha Dutt tries to explain herself on this topic on Facebook.

Gaurav makes a fine point.

Can you imagine if what would have happened if any of the politicians had dared to sue NDTV for libel. Not only NDTV but everyone in English media would be crying fascism like it was Third Reich. This despite the fact that not only a politician has as much right to redressal as NDTV but also he probably has a stronger case for libel against Barkha Dutt (and English media) than Barkha Dutt has against Chyetanya.

Frankly, I think Barkha Dutt screwed up on this one. By unnecessarily making an issue where none exists, she has further lost credibility. This whole incident reminds me of IIPM-gate.

Am no legal eagle (unlike my sister…a real lawyer and all!) but what would happen if Kunte would ignore this notice and ask BD and NDTV to go take a walk?