At a time when the entire nation is in a state of anger following yesterday’s misadventure, it seems that the Lutyens journalists are still in no mood to act responsibly. They are still trying to somehow corner the Modi government and pursue their agenda. Following yesterday’s events, Barkha Dutt of the Lutyens media tweeted, “With respect, I do feel the launch of this Khelo App could have been postponed given that one of our young pilots is in Pakistan custody. I know the forces have a free hand but more communication and sensitivity from GOI called for.”
With respect, I do feel the launch of this Khel App could have been postponed given that one of our young pilots is in Pakistan custody. I know the forces have a free hand but more communication and sensitivity from GOI called for https://t.co/Mt8w4EgQHH
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 27, 2019
Vir Sanghvi also tweeted about the launch of the Khelo Mobile App and said, “Give it a rest. Let’s focus on getting our Wing Commander back…”
Give it a rest. Let’s focus on getting our Wing Commander back… https://t.co/7zsxuNWT0q
— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) February 27, 2019
These tweets seem to suggest that PM Modi remained occupied in the launch of the App even after Pakistan took the IAF Wing Commander, Abhinandan Varthaman into custody. However, that was not the case. As per news reports, PM Modi had cut short his address at Vigyan Bhawan following the reports that Pakistan had made attempts to violate the Indian airspace. PM Modi also held a meeting with top officers from the defence forces and other security agencies to review the security situation. Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh also held a meeting and as per PTI, a detailed presentation was given at the meeting about the security situation and steps taken to ensure peace at sensitive places.
The country is obviously going through a phase when everyone needs to stand together. Criticising the prime minister and the government and making unverified/ uninformed claims is the last thing that our journalists should think of doing. It is clear that PM Modi had immediately left from the venue of the launch of the Khelo app in order to review the security situation. Therefore, it was rather irresponsible on the part of certain journalists from Lutyens media to make such bold claims.
And as far as the argument that PM Modi should have suspended all his engagements and postponed the launch of the Khelo app after the airstrikes is concerned, it seems that the argument is devoid of all logic. The fact remains that the government must not stop with its regular functioning. India had only taken pre-emptive steps and it wasn’t something that could be taken as escalation in international relations. The government must not have acted in a way which would have hinted that India is preparing for any sort of confrontation with the terrorist country.