Saturday, May 18

My Commitment To Constitutional Democracy Led Me To Join The Fight, Says Sagarika Ghose

Edited by Hiba Anvar
‘My Commitment To Constitutional Democracy Led Me To Join The Fight’: Sagarika Ghose (image-twitter/sagarikaghose)

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has nominated journalist Sagarika Ghose to the Rajya Sabha along with other party members Sushmita Dev, Mamata Bala Thakur and Md Nadimul Haque on Sunday. 

The selection of Delhi-based journalist has come as a surprise to many. Sagarika and her husband, India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai have been trolled on social media over the nomination. Many came trying to undermine their journalistic work by calling it ‘biased’. 

Responding to the backlashes and criticism, Sagarika wrote on X, “My tweet from 6 years ago (2018) is being widely circulated. At the time I was a working journalist and yes it would have been inappropriate for me at that time to switch overnight to party politics.”

In 2018, the journalist in several of her old tweets, advised journalists to stay away from politics. Netizens pointing out the irony, her old tweets are now being circulated widely. 

“Journalists, IMHO, shd stay away from politics & loyalty to any political party. Compromising independence is worst thing scribes can do to themselves. Lets strengthen India’s civil society, strengthen liberal democracy, work for justice. Let the netas be naked in their hamaam!” Ghose had written in her 2018 tweet. 

In her other post, she tweeted that she would never accept any RS ticket or PS ticket or CS ticket from any political party. 

Responding to it, Sagarika further added, “However in 2020 I ceased to be a full time journalist and for the last 3 years have been a freelance columnist for different newspapers”. 

Another video that is now being circulated is that of Mamata Banerjee walking out of an interview by Sagarika Ghose on being quizzed about women’s safety. 

Ghose in her follow-up post wrote that she had taken a 3-year cooling off period from full-time journalism before she took a plunge into public life. “I have therefore had a 3 year cooling off period from full time journalism before taking the plunge into public life.”

Justifying her decision to be involved in politics, Ghose claimed that, “when an increasingly authoritarian Modi government recognises no institutional restraints and has almost entirely captured the media, my commitment to constitutional democracy has led me to join the courageous fight of @AITCofficial to keep alive democratic spaces and democratic contestation.”

Sagarika Ghose has been a prominent figure in Indian media had made footprints across major news organizations. She has covered key roles in both electronics and print. Ghose has also authored at least four books, including novels and biographies of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.