Two of my friends called me last evening and said ‘hey watch CNN-IBN, Thapar is screwing Jethmalani’s trip!’ I switched to IBN (I normally avoid the newsreaders of IBN. They give me ulcers.)
And there he was, Mr.Karan Thapar, attacking a visibly ruffled Mr.Jethmalani. Initially it was good fun, but later on, thanks to Thapar’s dumb-ass questions, I got bored. What pissed me off was the way Thapar trivialized the judiciary by asking questions like ‘did you use every trick in the book?’ Agreed, our judiciary may not be the best; it may have some obvious ailments, but the point is it is all we got!
Thapar definitely had a hidden agenda: you don’t ask the most famous criminal lawyer of the country questions like “Are there no standards that you set yourself, which you observe? Is there no Laxman-rekha your own personal morality demands that you respect? Will you do anything? Will you fall to any level?” and “Do you regret the collapse in your standing and you reputation in the eyes of the Indian people today?” First of all, there is no definite proof that Mr.Jethmalani has indeed crossed plumbed to deplorable depths. I mean hey even terrorists get lawyers to defend themselves. Does it make those lawyers terrorists too?
What about Manjunath’s case? Did IBN or Thapar bother to follow it up? No! Unfortunately melodrama and emotion-milking works very well in this country. So Despite the fact that Thapar was illogical and at times downright stupid, we will still buy what he is dishing out. Why? Because we are suckers for melodrama. What a shame!
Also, if you made an atrocious allegation on me, does it mean that you are right, if I lost my temper? Karan, what are you on man? Must be real good stuff. Check this out:
Ram Jethmalani: I refuse to be needled by a person like you. You are too small to needle me, for God’s sake!
Karan Thapar: And in which case, why get angry? Why get upset? Why you lose temper?
Whether Mr.Jethmalani chooses clients to boost his popularity or not is none of our business. That’s what media does every day so they don’t have the fcuking right to talk about it. And I implore you Mr.Thapar, please don’t ask questions like ” Are you a man of character? Is this the behaviour of a man of character?” Even if Mr.RJ is not a man of character, what did you expect? He will confide in you that he is a character less prick? If he did confide and is honest about it, does it not make him a man of character you f***ing jerk? What is the purpose of such a question? You are playing a deliberate ploy to tarnish and malign someone. And, you are misleading the people of this country with your melodramatic nonsense. I pray that you guys in the media grow some spine real soon.
Rajdeep Sardesai, in the meantime, said there are two kinds of young people. Those who support Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Mattoo etc and those who get drunk and run over people (via Nilu).
Oh well! Who is the lawyer that’s fighting the case of Manjunath Rajdeep? When you pull your head out of your you-know-what, do let me know.
Also see: The CNN-IBN transcript of the Thapar-Jethmalani interview
@sumankumar,
Oh may be that's why.. Ppl like Kasab can still get away with such a cozy sophisticated living at the expense of the Tax payers… Brewing new stories day and night in his castle..
Some of your points are very well put. Perhaps the ‘intelligence’ of Mr. Thapar, his coming from a so called “aristocratic family” and “elite education” took over his ability to understand people at an emotional level. I do not see him provide ideas such that one may be able to think constuctively towards solutions and events. He mostly looks into the past but one cannot change it. One can certainly plan the future and I have never heard him ask – xyz event has happened, what should be done in the future and which support serverices should be developed so that the event does not repeat itself- there is even no follow up. Instead he is extremely critical and personal. One can be critical provided it gives direction. For example it is pointless telling someone that they are ugly instead (for that is out of their control) however, if they are told to dress smartly (a factor that can be controlled) the disadvantage may be reduced.