There is a term that is greatly in vogue among detractors of nationalist media channels and journalists. The term ‘Godi Media’ is often used by politicians from opposition parties and their supporters to suggest that media channels and journalists that do not peddle the narrative they want them to peddle are the lapdogs of the NDA government at center and the BJP.
Rohit Sardana, who is very often accused of being part of ‘Godi Media’ was asked recently by one of his viewers what the term means. He provided a rather hilariously accurate answer to that question. Quite exasperated with the term, Rohit Sardana appears to have decided that he has had it with the usage of the term.
Godi media explained by @sardanarohit 😬🤣🤣🤣🤣🙏 pic.twitter.com/DQpwFThpnk
— संवैधानिक डकैत (@Shivam_h9) December 8, 2020
Rohit Sardana said, ‘Let me tell you what Godi Media is. Everyone is surely aware of lumpen elements that lurk in every neighbourhood. You will notice that they have their eyes on the girls of the area. If they like some girl, they will tell friends that she is their Bhabhi (sister-in-law). But if the girl does not reciprocate the sentiments, then they will attempt to malign her character.’
‘The situation is similar now. The political parties on whose lap we are not sitting, they will go around calling us ‘Godi Media’. Their threat is that we should sit on their laps or they will call us Godi Media. Now, what can we say to that? Only you (viewers) can deal with such people,’ he added. He said, ‘When we report something that suits them, they shower praises on us. When we report something they do not like, they say Godi Media. Their pain is similar to those lumpen elements who malign the character of girls.’
The term is widely used by pro-Congress media persons and opposition leaders against journalists and media houses who don’t toe the Congress line. Opposition party supporters have called almost every journalist that by now, from Anjana Om Kashyap to NDTV.