Smriti Irani has had a meteoric rise like none other in Indian politics. From joining the BJP in 2003 to becoming the HRD Minister in the NDA Government in 2014 to Textile Minister in 2016 and now the I&B Minister, it has been a roller coaster yet eventful ride. Along the way she’s not shied away from taking controversial stands, voicing unpopular opinions, enduring tough electoral battles or challenging the high and the mighty on television debates.She has crafted an identity for herself fuelled by her firebrand aggression.
Smriti Irani’s combativeness is well documented; yet the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 took it to a whole new level. Taking on Rahul Gandhi in his family bastion of Amethi, she put up such a spirited performance that the Congress high command had to send a SOS to his sister, the darling of Amethi public. She matched her jibe for jibe and took oratory to a whole new level. Many political experts on the campaign trail wondered whether her oratory is as good as Narendra Modi‘s. Although she eventually lost the seat to Rahul Gandhi, she was hailed all around for the way she conducted herself throughout the campaign and her selflessness in contesting from a virtually unwinnable constituency. She had done this in the past too, taking on Kapil Sibal in the 2004 General elections. The BJP high command had taken note of this!
NDA rode the Modi wave and attained a historical mandate. The Cabinet list was out, Smriti Irani got the HRD ministry. The whispers and murmurs began. What could have been the pinnacle of her eventful political career, became a curse. The ordeal had just started. Madhu Kishwar, educationist, feminist and vociferous Modi supporter struck the first blow. She questioned her educational credentials, her modelling and acting career and her overall eligibility for the role. She also indirectly implicated Irani of casting a spell and black magic on Modi. It’s indeed ironical that a self-proclaimed feminist would make a character assassination of another lady and implicate that a woman can never achieve anything unless she’s granting some favours to men in power (I have always believed that when it comes to feminism, women do each other more harm than men. But that’s a different topic for another day!).
The Fabindia fiasco happened next. A lady’s modesty was violated by hidden cameras in a trial room and she was rightly outraged. The media instead of expressing sympathy with the victim questioned her motives. Somebody called her a fat cow, somebody else an overfed aunty. Some journalists were overtly critical, most of them females themselves. The left leaning Indian media which is usually ready with dozens of newsprint over such incidents liberally laced with words like feminism, chauvinism, patriarchy and violation were unusually mum. After all they firmly believe that feminism, equality, justice and liberty are exclusive privileges of the political left! Rajdeep Sardesai, the doyen on news traders, went on to insinuate Irani herself for the incident in his interview; he couldn’t have stooped any lower!
The NSUI attacked Smriti Irani’s home. She was away at work. Congress leader Indrani Mishra asked her whether she knows the difference between B.Ed and Bed on Twitter.
@smritiirani is 12th, fail C doesn't knw the difference of B.Ed & Bed… how C will knw abt IIT …. She is to promote IIN… #SeeYouThere
— Indrani Mishra (@indraniiyc) May 29, 2015
Youth Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja used the same medium to spew more vulgar vitriol.
https://twitter.com/rajabrar_inc/status/604271369677754368
The mainstream media which reported Giriraj Singh’s private remark on Sonia Gandhi’s skin colour as a matter of national importance, chose to stay blindfolded. Why shall they treat her with respect anyway? For years on end she beat them to pulp in every single interview, discussion or debate. They couldn’t get their agenda and half-truths beyond her then; they choose to ignore her truth now!
However, Aaj Tak reached the nadir of shamelessness today. Just when you think that the media can’t stoop any lower, they plumb even greater depths of mediocrity. An Aaj Tak journalist Ashok shamelessly asked Smriti Irani what Modi saw in her that she’s been made a Cabinet Minister. There’s nothing more derogatory than to denigrate a woman’s character on national television that too based on misplaced theories. The media and Smriti Irani critics attribute her popularity to a superhit TV show that ran on television a decade back. They call her a ‘Bahu’ and as Sanjay Nirupam remarked a ‘Thumka lagane waali’ (A woman who does pelvic thrusts!).
Such remarks sell her credentials short. In a country where legends of Indian cinema like Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini found low/moderate success in cracking the political riddle, here’s a woman from a humble background without any Godfather who has made it big. To overlook her achievements as the best political spokesperson on television for the better part of last decade is nothing but short-sightedness.
Smriti Irani is not beyond critique, no political representative ever is. But if she needs to be critiqued it should be based on her policies (or the lack of it). Judge her by how she performs as a HRD minister. Nitpick her policies regarding higher education. Criticise her if she sells Primary and Secondary education short. If she doesn’t introduce steps to improve the research environment in the country, slam her for it. Ensure that she doesn’t compromise the temples of higher education. But don’t criticise her character and her values. Don’t assassinate her character. For being a rags to riches story, for her audacity and bravery, for being an uncorrupt politician and for her unwillingness to play the victimized woman (or what she calls a “Political Cinderella”) card ever; she deserves all the respect.
She is the only after Amit Shah in BJP who is taking presstitutes and fake ghandhis to their own way.
presstitutes need to be dealt severly by law
Good write up! Good to see you as a writer on TFI, Gyaneshwar.
Smriti Irani has been a fighter and will always be. I still remember that not many people had voted in favor of Smriti Irani when TFI had conducted a survey for probable BJP ministers after Look Sabha elections. But as I had said, she was entrusted with HRD ministry causing a lot of heart burn to many.
Recently when the Fab India story broke out, a few disgruntled BJPians-Meenakshi Lekhi being one of them-called it an attempt at attention grabbing since she had been ousted from BJP national executive a few weeks ago. She never reacted to that, ostensibly to avoid any discord in the party.
Yes, she should be judged. But only for her work-failure or success. But she definitely matches, and even outdoes most of her adversaries jibe by jibe, taunt by taunt. And the best thing is, she does it with a smile, unlike a cantankerous Nirmala Sitaraman.
Just one small thing, it was Giriraj Singh not Giridhar Singh who made that snide remark about Sonia Gandhi’s skin color.
Thanks Seema ji.
Hope to read more from you. :)
Sure ma’am. I will try to contribute more.
Excellent Article.Well articulated. Hatss off to u :))
Well articulated with sensible writing style. thumbs up…
well it all goes down to the “logo ki soch ” , this is the thing that powers presstitutes to do what they wish to do, they know they can manipulate Indian “janta” easily because as per them we dont have our own opinions , they think they are the ones who make opinions , and it had been trues since last 64 years
nice article Gyan and well said……. Smriti Rani has clarity in her thoughts and sad that our Chauvinistic society is not able to digest her success…… thanks to Namo for Handpicking and sticking with her
Definitely Agree with you . Why should a women be criticized personally the most , when she is successful ? I always found Smriti Irani very inspiring lady . Disspite her humble background , she has climbed the ladder of most inspiring people all be her self , to become one of the best ministers of India ever had/has we should be appreciating her dedication and hard work . Definitly Criticism should be done for her work not personal life . Wonder ,Why do such derogatory remarks would be done by people who do not have capability of their own , try to malign characters of the successful ones . I pity their incapability.
What I like about Ms. Irani is that her speech is a strong blend of passion and facts. Not just slogans. I personally feel we should criticize policy and not person and criticize not because we disagree with the ideology but because we feel it is not in national interest
Why people cannot see talent and qualities in a person ? Blinded by jealousy ?
I too admire at Smriti for her being A WOMAN WITH CLASS… the insult part is a routine affair with all mainstream media journalists talk to her in double meaning… But that’s treated as GREAT by otherwise active women on public space – to name, Shobha Ojha, Shobha Dey, Brinda Karat, Brinda Grover, few JNUs loud mouths… – they all scream and shout at every issue and talk passionately about women empowerment ( at times beating even Rahul Gandhi). Anyway, over a period of time, the men fans for Smriti Irani has doubled and they will stand by her. She is doing a wonderful job as HRD Minister (proof is within – all these juvenile jounalists to so called historians/ educationalists are rattled and all of them run around like headless chicken)… Great going Smriti Irani, gallop ahead whether women in this country recognise or not….
Good article. I personally find all the attacks on her quite disgusting. The argument that a person who is not a graduate cannot run HRD ministry is quite ridiculous. In my opinion the person who does not have is in a better position to understand the issues and not a person who had things available.
superb article bhai..
Very nice article. Hats off to Writer as well as Irani. Now a days Media are morre under scanner than their scanning on a matter. Presstitude is an apt word to unmask the vested interested media.
What I dislike about MSM is that it’s not raising the right issues when it concerns Smriti Irani.
The flip side of the horrible way she’s being vilified is her being lionised by the other side of the political spectrum – the Right wing lot.
Even note that all the complements she’s getting in the comments section of this article, so far, have only been about the strength of her character… but charisma and good oratory != good HRD minister. In fact, there’s absolutely NOTHING hitherto that exhibits her competence for the responsibility she’s been given. I don’t even think she has the right perspective for the HRD ministry.
This is a valid criticism and we need to have more of this sort. But to criticise someone on the basis of facts, the media need to do their research better.
But why would they put in sweat and toil for constructive criticism when they can indulge in character assassination, get higher viewership for the same and laugh all the way to the bank?
You have tacitly agreed that the problem actually lies with the masses seeking masaaledar khabra-khabri… media merely exists to sell themselves. :-)