Just a week after the horrifying rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, the nation’s outrage is understandably at its peak. But leave it to Rajdeep Sardesai to step in and do what he does best—defend those in power while barely acknowledging the tragedy at hand.
On his YouTube channel this past Saturday, Rajdeep Sardesai gave us all a masterclass in how to protect Mamata Banerjee from criticism while pretending to be concerned about the victim.
Rajdeep Sardesai & Defense of Mamata Banerjee
Sardesai, ever the paragon of objectivity, started by reluctantly admitting that yes, the state government might have a little responsibility in this brutal crime. “A government hospital comes under the direct jurisdiction of the state government. What happens within its precincts is the responsibility of the state. The Mamata Banerjee government, therefore, cannot pass the buck on this gruesome act that took place in the hospital in Kolkata,” he said, in what was surely a painful concession.
But don’t worry—Sardesai quickly recovered by shifting his focus to what really matters: attacking the opposition. “The opposition has every right to put the West Bengal government on the mat,” he generously allowed, before quickly adding, “But it is increasingly apparent that both the BJP and the left parties in particular are taking out their angst on the Mamata Banerjee government after their Lok Sabha defeat recently.” Because obviously, the real issue here isn’t the murder of a young doctor; it’s that the opposition might be using this tragedy to criticize the ruling party. How dare they?
The Opposition’s Audacity to Demand Accountability
Sardesai didn’t stop there. No, he had to make sure we all understood just how wrong it is for the opposition to expect any accountability from Mamata Banerjee. “Rather than seek justice for the girl, it appears that the entire aim is how do you corner Mamata Banerjee. Just go through the BJP media handles, and what one detects is a campaign to get Mamata Banerjee to step down,” Sardesai pointed out, with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Because when a heinous crime occurs, the real victim is clearly the political leader facing criticism.
And just in case anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, Mamata Banerjee should consider stepping down, Sardesai was quick to squash that idea. “Are we saying, my friends, that whenever a heinous crime occurs in this country, the chief minister must resign? That’s a dangerous political game to play,” he warned, clearly worried about the precedent this might set. After all, holding leaders accountable could really complicate things.
Rajdeep Sardesai Attacks the Congress
In a plot twist no one saw coming, Sardesai then turned his attention to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Apparently, Sardesai has decided that defending Mamata Banerjee also means taking a few jabs at her supposed allies. Ever since his wife, Sagarika Ghose, was given a cushy Rajya Sabha seat by the TMC, Sardesai seems to have found new inspiration.
Rajdeep Sardesai gave Gandhi a much-needed lesson in political strategy. He asked him of his role as the LoP! Because clearly, the most pressing issue here isn’t justice for the victim—it’s ensuring that no one in the opposition says anything that might upset Mamata Banerjee.
A Masterclass in Deflection ft Rajdeep Sardesai
By the end of his diatribe, Sardesai had fully established himself as the defender of the status quo. He scolded Rahul Gandhi for daring to criticize Mamata Banerjee publicly, declaring, “Yes, Mr. Gandhi, you are a Congress leader, but you are also the leader of the opposition now. Your duty, in a sense, is to reach out and ensure justice in a meaningful manner. Instead of confronting your own ally publicly, only it appears for political point-scoring. This is no time for that, sir.” Because as we all know, the most important thing right now is to make sure the opposition doesn’t step out of line.
So, there you have it. Rajdeep Sardesai, once again, showing us all how journalism should be done. In the midst of this tragic event, he’s managed to shift the focus away from the victim and onto what really matters: protecting those in power and ensuring the opposition stays in their place. One can only hope that somewhere in all this political maneuvering, justice for the young doctor doesn’t get completely lost.
