Day two of Pondy Lit Fest 2023 featured a series of engaging discussions and captivating book launches that enthralled the audience. The event showcased a diverse range of literary talents and thought-provoking conversations, adding to the festival’s vibrancy and intellectual richness. In the session, which focused on the topic “Godi Media: Supine, Constructively Critical, or Pointlessly Combative,“, Shehzad Poonawalla participated as the speaker, while Abhijit Iyer Mitra played the role of Contributing Moderator. Shehzad holds the position of National Spokesperson for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and is known for his active participation in news debates and his prominent presence on social media platforms. Abhijit Iyer-Mitra works as a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. 

 The derogatory term “Godi Media” [meaning Media sitting on lap] was coined by Ravish Kumar to indicate the media houses that support the current government from 2014. This conversation coincides with the recent announcement made by the I.N.D.I Alliance, in which they declared a boycott of debates moderated by 14 journalists hailing from different media organisations. They have also advised their party leaders to abstain from participating in any debates featuring these particular journalists.

Hitlist, Not A Boycott

In his address, Shehzad Poonawalla explained that media houses, which once served the Congress’s “first family” but were subsequently rejected by the public, have resorted to discrediting media outlets with opposing ideologies. He argued that this term (Godi-Media) is primarily used to divert attention from their shortcomings. Poonawalla emphasised that the broader non-right media ecosystem has embarked on delegitimising the institutional processes of democracy. This involves dehumanising individuals and discrediting elements that, in reality, signify signs of fascism, which they attribute to the existing government. He expressed his opinion that although the list may initially seem like a mere boycott, it could also serve as a means to target individuals, potentially exposing them to various forms of attacks.

Positive Criticism Or Perpetual Faultfinding

When Mitra questioned Poonawalla as to why it was necessary to attack the “first family” when they are no longer relevant, instead of critiquing the government, he said that the role of a free press should not inherently be anti-establishment, nor should it appear to align with specific ideological ecosystems. Poonawalla identified a lack of balanced reporting in this media landscape, where one side is consistently critical of the government without acknowledging its positive policies and achievements. According to him, following the G-20 meeting, none of the media channels or social media accounts whom he referred to as “Supari Media” had published any content praising the successful outcomes of the meeting. He further noted that several sensational news stories aired were later proven to be factually incorrect. He asserted that the statement “The “first family” is no longer relevant” is a cliché. Shehzad also highlighted the hypocrisy of Rajdeep while discussing the incident of the opposition alliance boycotting reporters and anchors.

Morning musing: an official public BOYCOTT of individuals whose views you disagree with is ANTI DEMOCRATIC; any form of HATE SPEECH/slander is a CRIME that must be called out and punished.

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 15, 2023

Can Congress Accuse BJP Of Restricting Media Freedom While Doing The Same?

Poonawalla highlighted that “journalists” like Rajdeep and others never raised questions about Sonia Gandhi’s de facto role in running the government. Instead, they often blamed individuals like Manmohan Singh and other ministers. He pointed to instances in Congress-run states where the government hounded journalists, such as the treatment of Sudhir Chaudhary (an anchor at Aaj-Tak) in Karnataka, and highlighted incidents like the attack on journalist Kamal Shukla by local Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh.

It should be noted that the Karnataka government recently unveiled a framework for a fact-checking unit aimed at combating misinformation. Nonetheless, concerns have arisen in light of past actions, raising questions about whether this initiative is designed to restrict press freedom and manipulate the narrative.

When inquired about the selection of specific media houses for the pre-election interview with the Prime Minister, Poonawalla clarified that preferring someone for effective engagement or delivery is not the same as imposing a boycott or creating a hit list. He also elaborated on instances of hit jobs, citing the case of Adani, where comprehensive investigative reports debunked the conspiracy. A similar scenario unfolded in the case of the Dwarka Expressway, where the media initially focused on a small portion of the CAG report, later revealing that the government had saved 12% of the total construction cost.

Is BJP Falling Behind In Setting The Narrative: A Pattern Of Delayed Responses

Abhijit then questioned why the BJP always seemed to lag behind in setting a narrative and instead frequently resorted to firefighting. Poonawalla replied saying that if the BJP actually wanted to win political brownie points, it had many opportunities, but the party had always considered the larger picture of running the country and trodden the path with care. He also criticised comments like “Sanathana Dharma should be eradicated” or “Inke (their) G-20” as poor examples of the opposition’s attempt to set a narrative. He clarified that in cases involving comments targeting a community or religion, the party would vehemently oppose and condemn such hate speeches.

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In the coastal city of Puducherry, the Pondy Lit Fest will return with its Fourth Edition on 15th September 2023. This year, the event focuses on the theme “India’s Strategic Autonomy”. The three-day event starting 15 September 2023 up to 17 September 2023 will witness discussions spanning various topics like technology, science, military, economics, and foreign policy and is bound to generate immense cogitation in the young minds. The Southern part of India has already made space for literary fests (Pondy Lit Fest, Western Ghats Lit Fest, Mangalore Lit Fest, etc.) that counter the propaganda from the lies peddled by historians, media outlets, and politicians. At a time when the counterbalance to intellectual discourse is slowly growing in India, such Lit Fests will undoubtedly bring all such debates to one stage. 

Setting Expectations High 

 After a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, the organisers in the last edition retained the underlying theme “Bharat Shakti” in the spirit of Sri Aurobindo. The third edition also came at the confluence of India celebrating 75 years of her Independence and Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary. The event focused on paying respects to the sacrifices of countless heroes from South India in the struggle for independence. Along with it, the event celebrated our trajectory in diverse fields. With a focus on revisiting the past to aspire for a better future, sessions covered domains like Culture, Civilisation, Literature, Sanatana Dharma, Economy, Media, History, and Defence. The event also hosted various book launches that blended with the theme.

 In the past, the organisers faced hurdles in conducting the fest due to intense pressure from certain sections. Despite the challenges, the fest has tried to bring out young minds from diverse fields. With riveting discussions between eminent politicians, scientists, and authors, the fest has surely developed its own signature. 

What Can One Expect In This Edition Of The Pondy Lit Fest

In this year’s edition, Pondy Lit Fest promises to deliver a high-quality experience with presentations, lectures, book discussions, and panel discussions by India’s foremost thinkers. The Lit Fest aims to unite India by incorporating contributions from various strategic sectors and highlighting the ideas put forth by influential figures from these domains.

 The audience can also witness the seventh edition of the Swarajya Awards which will be presented on the first day of the event. These awards are conferred for outstanding work in the spheres of economics, politics, society, and culture respectively.

The Motwani Jadeja Foundation’s flagship initiative, the Rajeev Circle Scholars Program, will also be introduced at Lit Fest. This initiative aimed to bring out highly researched and affordable books on Indian history by granting fellowships to eligible scholars.

Books from publishers like BluOne Ink and Garuda Publications will be launched formally during the event. The Lit Fest will also feature stalls from organisations and publishers in the Indic Space.

For more details on the schedule and the lineup of speakers and other events, check this post.

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A book that has become a best-seller and has gone for a second print even before a formal launch, “Hindus In Hindu Rashtra – Eighth-Class Citizens and Victims of State-Sanctioned Apartheid” by author, scientist, and political commentator Anand Ranganathan, is all set for its official launch at the upcoming Pondy Lit Fest. The literary extravaganza is scheduled to take place from 15 September 2023 to 17 September 2023 at Puducherry, with the book launch happening on the inaugural day, the 15 September 2023.

So @ARanganathan72's latest mega bestseller 'Hindus in Hindu Rashtra', which sold 20,000 copies and has gone for a second print run of 20k, has not yet had a formal book launch. Not yet…

But it's going to happen soon. In a grand, star-studded event.

Guess when and where?

— Pondy Lit Fest (@PondyLitFest) August 27, 2023

The book is an incisive analysis where the author dismantles the misleading and self-deprecating narrative that has been imposed on Hindus since Independence with utmost clarity. This commentary doesn’t tiptoe around the issues or conform to political correctness; instead, it presents an uncompromising truth – that Hindus are enduring a form of state-sanctioned apartheid.

The book, which has already made waves, was initially unveiled on 15 August 2023, with an impressive print run of 20,000 copies. Merely a week later, on 21 August 2023, Anand Ranganathan announced via Twitter that it was going into its second print run, an equally substantial 20,000 copies.

Hindus in Hindu Rashtra was launched on August 15 with a print run of 20,000 copies. Today, exactly one week later, it is going into its second print run, of 20,000 copies.

I wrote a book, you turned it into a movement. Thank you so much.

Order link: https://t.co/w9SqBlQdox pic.twitter.com/yCmOg3Jg7s

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 21, 2023

This robust response underscores the book’s significance and its resonance with readers. The book is published by BluOne Ink who is also the Platinum partner for Pondy Lit Fest.

Anand Ranganathan, known for his contributions to science as well as political commentary, made a unique commitment when he revealed his book’s release. He declared that all royalties from the sale of the book would be donated to the Hindu Refugee cause, a cause close to his heart.

Hello everyone. Announcing the publication by@BluOneInk of my new book Hindus in Hindu Rashtra: Eighth-class citizens and victims of State-sanctioned apartheid.

All royalties from this book will go to the Hindu Refugee cause. Thanks so much. Order Link: https://t.co/Koif1kfFJq pic.twitter.com/0uZcHOVfiR

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) June 27, 2023

As of 17 August 2023, the first tranche of royalties had been received, and Anand Ranganathan fulfilled his pledge by donating the entire sum of Rs 50,000 to Sewa Nyaya, an organization dedicated to assisting Hindu Refugees, managed by Swati Goel Sharma and Sanjeev Newar.
Sanskrit.

The first quanta of royalties from Hindus in Hindu Rashtra [https://t.co/Koif1kfFJq] has arrived – ₹ 51,000. Thanks, @BluOneInk.

As promised, and in gratitude, donating the entire sum, first up, to Sewa Nyaya run for Hindu Refugees by @swati_gs & @SanjeevSanskrit. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/zHWhpEDaYY

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 17, 2023

Continuing his commitment to this noble cause, on 27 August 2023, Anand Ranganathan donated the second installment of royalties, amounting to ₹135,000, entirely to Nimittekam. This organization is actively working to support Hindu refugees and is led by Jai Ahuja and Omendra Ratnu.

2. The second instalment of the royalties from Hindus in Hindu Rashtra is here from @BluOneInk – ₹ 1,35,000. In gratitude, donating the entire sum to Nimittekam, an organisation run for Hindu refugees by @JaiAahuja and @satyanveshan. Thank you.

Link: https://t.co/w9SqBlQdox pic.twitter.com/RztKrKCzDK

— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) August 27, 2023

On the panel alongside Anand Ranganathan at the book launch will be historian Meenakshi Jain, Vishnu Shankar Jain, advocate in the Gyanvapi & Mathura temple case, and RSS ideologue and author Ratan Sharda.

This third edition of Pondy Lit Fest will see eminent personalities from different domains speaking on contemporary issues of importance. The lit fest is free and open for all.

Reminder: The Pondy Lit Fest will be held at Hotel Atithi in Puducherry on the 15th, 16th and 17th of September. It will be free and open to all.

See you there! pic.twitter.com/KBZaUdRsq1

— Pondy Lit Fest (@PondyLitFest) August 17, 2023

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