Saturday afternoon saw the state capital media being met out a shoddy treatment by Bahujan Samaj Party supremo, Mayawati at the party office. She neither addressed them, or posed for the cameras, or issued any press statement, she simply directed her staff to ensure that media persons leave the hall before she started her dialogue with the senior partymen and office bearers.
Journalists by large, and the state capital media, in particular, have learned not to expect any royal treatment from Mayawati, but yesterday’s treatment to the invited press was not even cordial. A usual Mayawati press meet is a mundane affair. It starts with her reading out word to word from a press note. After this monologue ends, Maya speaks out her standard dialogue ‘ab aap bhojan karey’ (You all have food now). Journalists at her press conferences are not allowed a chance to ask questions and just handed over copies of the text read out by her as an official press release.
But what happened yesterday was totally unapprehended and undemocratic. The unceremonious way the Fourth Estate was asked to leave the hall immediately after the BSP chief’s entry was totally shocking and humiliating for the journalists present in the hall.
After all the media persons, the majority being from the electronic media to cover the meeting of the BSP office bearers. Initially, they were stopped at the entrance and made to wait but they were later allowed inside the premises. They had to pass through three-tier intensive security check-ups.
Crossing a long distance, when they reached the hall they found themselves directed to the back rows as the office bearers were occupying the front seats. Exactly at 11.05, Mayawati arrived with her Blackcats from her residence, which is a little distance away from her office. As she took her seat to address her party she signaled for the media to leave. The designated staff got into immediate action and asked the press wallah to leave. Not to be blamed, as they were just following instructions.
“Magar Kyu? Humaey to bulaya tha (But why ? We were invited) asked a photographer for a national Hindi daily. Without being given any explanation he was politely shown the door by the staff who had the courtesy to fold his head and lower his eyes. The electronic media persons from different local and national channels turned to their cameras and mikes, choosing the belly of the bridge outside the party office as their backdrop to tell their story of Maya’s royal ignore.
Mayawati‘s role in the victory of the BJP in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections is an open secret. But BSP’s secret alliance has led to BSP being reduced to naught. At the moment “Rassi chal gayee magar bal nahi gaaey“ appears to be the apt way of describing Mayawati. She appears to care two hoots for what the media thinks about her.
Only time will tell if Maya’s attitude towards the Media this Diwali will affect her destiny.
| Posted by Sameer Khan | 
