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“I’m Not Here To Raise TRP Of The News Minute”, TN BJP Head Annamalai Royally Shuts Down TNM’s Shabbir Ahmed

The Commune

Shabbir Ahmed from The News Minute is back in the news, this time for his attempt at hounding Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President Annamalai at a press meet on 5 October 2023. However, Annamalai royally shut down the “journalist”. 

During the press meeting, Shabbir Ahmed persistently targeted Annamalai with a series of questions and allegations. He brought forward ADMK accusations against Annamalai, suggesting that his remarks were the cause of the alliance’s breakup. Annamalai responded calmly, stating that he would not engage in responding to every allegation, focusing instead on his work and the BJP’s path for the future. Annamalai said, “This is not the only allegation against me, several political parties allege many things about me. I cannot keep answering every single thing. I am doing my work and I am clear about the path I need to take, I am also clear about which path the BJP has to take. So allegations and slanders will keep coming, I have never paid heed to them nor responded to them, so I will not respond to this also.”

When Shabbir raised the issue of Annamalai’s comments about Annadurai, the BJP leader skillfully shut him up, simply stating, “I am not interested in speaking about it, Shabbir Anna.”

However, Shabbir continued to press Annamalai with questions about the parties in the NDA in Tamil Nadu, prompting the BJP leader to challenge him to do his own research, saying, “You are a journalist; you do your research, why should I teach you?”.

As the conversation turned to Dr. Krishnasamy’s alleged comments on the “existence” of the NDA, Annamalai emphasised the BJP’s historical role in forming and convening the alliance, highlighting that the 2024 elections in Tamil Nadu would essentially be a battle between the DMK and the BJP.

Shabbir Ahmed persisted, questioning whether Annamalai would release corruption details about the ADMK after its exit from the alliance. Annamalai once again shut him down saying, “Shabbir Anna, “I am not here to raise the TRP of your News Minute. You are posting videos, you want likes and this and that. I will respond when I need to respond.”

This incident follows a recent development where Shabbir Ahmed was found making veiled threats toward Tamil Nadu BJP members during another press meeting, stating that the situation could take a “different turn.” He had said, “But at the same time, the reaction coming from the other side is severe and we are registering it because if it continues, it will take a different turn (vera maadhiri poidum)” when talking of Annamalai’s alleged insulting behaviour with journalists at press meets. 

What happened at Annamalai’s press meet is despite senior party member Pon Radhakrishnan having requested the journalists at the other press conference to give Annamalai the due respect and treat him just as they would treat other political party chiefs. He had said, “Don’t the journalists have their own dharma/duty? I am not finding fault with you. What I am asking you is to give the same respect and treat the State President of Tamil Nadu BJP the same way as you would do with the other political party heads in the state”. 

The alleged journalist took to social media platform X to rant. He posted, “In today’s press conference: When asked about his comment on Annadurai, TN BJP Chief #Annamalai refused to comment When asked about when will he release AIADMK files, he says he will not give content for TRP When asked who are the NDA partners in TN, he says you can research.”

Netizens reminded him of how he got thrashed by members of the DMK in 2014 when he was associated with Times Now channel and questioned him if he would hound the DMK members like he does with Annamalai or other BJP members in Tamil Nadu.

Some even pointed out his hypocrisy. In the press meeting with Pon Radhakrishnan and other BJP members, he even suggested that Annamalai could respond “No comments” if he did not want to reply to any question posed by the media but after Annamalai gave him the royal “thrashing”, he complained about it.

Some even reminded him that it was not even an official press meeting but it was the media that landed in front of Annamalai and thrust their microphones into his face.

 

The next phase of Annamalai’s padayatra, named ‘En Mann En Makkal‘ (my land, my people), originally planned to commence on 6 October 2023, has been rescheduled to 16 October 2023 due to his health condition. The party released a medical report from a private facility, Gleneagles Global Health City in Chennai, confirming that Annamalai has been diagnosed with a lower respiratory tract infection accompanied by bronchospasm. He has been recommended two weeks of rest.

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