Media circus turns against its own creation

RETROFIT

Media musings on MODIGATE

Jin mein ho jate hain andaz e khuddai paida, humne dekha hai woh buththod diye jaate - this line from Iqbal sums up the demolition derbyunderway in the IPL circus. Casualty number one was Shashi Tharoor whohad to be taken out kicking and screaming after telling NDTV's BarkhaDutt unequivocally - I will not resign. In the Puff Daddy, sorry bigdaddy of puff jobs, replete with an emotional scowl, Tharoor wasn'table to convince anyone watching of his innocence. Surprisingly,Barkha Dutt's line of questioning was so tepid and innocuous that theinterview appeared to be a farce. And farce it was for as soon as thePM returned, it was game, set, match and championship to Lalit Modi.Since then Tharoor has spoken again in parliament and nowhere has headdressed the issue of his relationship or the level of hisinvolvement with the Kochi enterprise. And pray, why was his OSD JacobJoseph present at the bidding, if he was only giving his blessings tothe venture as a mentor? Anyway, Tharoor has walked into the sunsetand since then targeted in the media's crosshairs is Lalit Modi,everyone's favourite whipping boy at the moment. I was telling thehead of a network only the other day over a cuppa of tea that themedia has forgotten Shoaib and Sania in a jiffy, obsessed as they havebecome with the more juicy Su, alias Pinky affair. He agreed. Butmedia has a short memory. Let me tell you why I am saying this.
In 2008 when the first lot of eight bids were architected, all of usin the know were aware of Suresh Chellaram's connection with Modi,just as we were aware of Mohit/Gaurav Burman's connection with thesame Modi. Or Amar Bindra's (son of Punjab Cricket Associationstrongman I S Bindra) presence in the Kings XI Punjab management ecosystem. Or the fact that the treasurer of the BCCI, a leading southernindustrialist N Srinivasan acquiring the Chennai franchise. Over time,civil aviation minister Praful Patel's daughter Poorna was made headof hospitality and marketing in the IPL. And so it carried on. It wasone big happy family. A high table, strictly by invitation. Media wasfirmly in Modi's corner and the smooth talking, linen suit attired IPLcommissioner rode out one storm after another. This included manyscrimmages within the BCCI where cabals tried their level best to takedown the unilateralist Modi. But he survived it all with great aplomb,realising at one level that he had Sharad Pawar minding his fortunesand at another he was making more moolah for the cricket board thanthey had ever seen in their lives. The ongoing Income Tax survey ofthe IPL estimates that total income from season 3 alone will be anastonishing Rs 1170 crore, a net profit closer to Rs 573 and a taxliability of Rs 172.5 crore. How is that for big bucks?
Probity and propriety are at the core of the issue. There is also thequestion of shareholder and investor compliance. After all as many asfive of the eight existing franchises are public limited companies.Every day now is a new day, with new dirt emerging. But a lot of itsadly is well known and well documented. Unfortunately, elephants andcamels have been brushed under the carpet and Modi till recentlymedia's darling has become the target of their collective ire. TakeET's lead story on Tuesday morning: Rajasthan's land deals at thecentre of IT probe on Modi. Good? No lousy actually for Outlook wrotea brilliant cover story last year on Modi where they nailed him to thewall. The story which appeared in the February 2009 issue dealt withModi's high handedness, his operating out of the Prince's suite ofRambagh Palace hotel, his proximity to Rajasthan chief ministerVasundhra Raje and in the main dealt with the fact that Modifunctioned as a super chief minister in the state. It was a hit job,hatchet job, call it what you will, but Modi survived that too. ET'sstory had no meat of consequence, it was nothing but a pale imitationof the real McCoy - the Outlook cover story. Let me give you a flavourof that Outlook story:
*He operated as a ‘Super Chief Minister’ from the opulent Rambagh Palace Hotel*Used his proximity to then CM Vasundhararaje to control key civilservants who would take files to his hotel suite*Facilitated entry of big builders in the state. Every big land dealhad to have his clearance.*Influenced change in the liquor policy which led to the proliferationof liquor outlets. Became an election issue.*Had a finger in every pie, including mines*Personally acquired havelis in Amer by bending the law*Has an extravagant lifestyle, owns a private jet. Would stay for daysin the luxury suite of the Rambagh Palace Hotel.*Influenced the enactment of the Rajasthan Sports Act to gain controlover the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA)*Accused of forging signature to become a member of the RCA*Rode roughshod over anyone who crossed his path, whether it was aconstable or an IPS officer. A slapping incident sparked a near-revoltin the Jaipur police.*Was named in an FIR for misappropriation of RCA funds. The money hassubsequently been deposited with the RCA.*Convicted in the United States for possession of drugs and kidnapping in 1985
Now tell me what additional information did ET write a year later asthe lead story on the morning of Tuesday? Other than the fact that itquoted Ashok Ghelot, chief minister of Rajasthan. But as I said publicmemory is short and media memory suffers from selective amnesia offand on. Then there was a fascinating ToI story on Tuesday itself whichdealt with the facilitation fee - $80 million - paid by WSG inMauritius while renegotiating the IPL broadcast rights contract. Therecipient being Modi. That story was a dead ringer and a sure shot forpole position, but I guess the fact that both bid documents ofVideocon and Adani were missing was equally important. HT as alwayshas been a washout with the only story of consequence being theallusion to a senior cabinet minister's son in law being given sweatequity in the Videocon bid. But the display was pathetic. Logic saysthat Modi has to go, just as Tharoor had to go. But will he? Or willhe drag the entire edifice of the BCCI, its apparatus and aImost allthe big players connected with it down with him? Pawar was Modi'sbenefactor, he got him out of many a scrap. I am sure Modi has enoughdirt on his fellow travelers in the board and IPL. After all he isalso a veep in the board and heads its tours and fixtures committee aswell. This time the Congress wants revenge, it is seething atsacrificing Tharoor. Will it be quid pro quo? Modi for Tharoor toretain the code of silence or omerta over the BCCI's functioning andfinances? Both Modi and Tharoor at one level are flamboyant andarrogant. They believe in speaking their minds, both have a foot inthe mouth disease. Both are unilateralists. Both use Twitter. Tharoorsurvived many an attempt to destabilise him, just as Modi has survivedmany a palace putsch. Modi's body language and lingua franca at theairport on his arrival from Dubai was combative, not one of someonecowed down or wounded in battle.
Does Modi have something left in the tank? Modi's benefactor Pawar mayhave turned against him because he reckons he too might be singed bythis IPL heat, but KK Modi's scion has many powerful backers. Hisbackers include franchise owners like Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallya,Shahrukh Khan et al who have clout and influence right to the top ofthe political pyramid in the capital. Will Modi take the fall or willhe be able to pull off another Houdini act? Monday will tell us.