Malviya calls Sardesai Cong propagandist on live TV, Sardesai shares Mysore Pak
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New Delhi: Senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, whose question enraged Amit Malviya, the national convener of the IT cell for BJP on live television during a programme on the day of the counting of votes for the Karnataka Assembly elections, shared a box of Mysore Pack on Twitter two, as a gesture of cooling off the annoyed BJP leader with a quip that "elections will come and go, parties will win and lose, Mysore Pak lives forever".
Sardesai had asked Malviya if his party's strategy of "religious polarisation" had failed, prompting the spokesperson to defend the tactic and accuse the journalist of being a Congress Party propagandist.
“Last year, whether on social media which you handled or the national media, what were the stories coming out of Karnataka? Halal, Hijab, Azaan, Tipu, Savarkar yatra, when it is clear as the election results are showing, poorer parts of Karnataka were hurting post-COVID. Did you get your strategy wrong that instead of focusing on religious polarisation, you should have focused on bread and butter issues?” Sardesai had asked.
Malviya responded with personal allegations against Sardesai, accusing him of being a propagandist for suggesting that issues like hijab and halal were responsible for the BJP's defeat. He further stated that both halal and hijab are equally important issues, emphasizing the need to protect women and daughters of India from "love jihad."
“You should focus on writing your third book on how BJP wins in 2024.” Malviya went on to say that Rajdeep must “prostrate before Sonia Gandhi.”
Sardesai responded to Malviya's accusations with a hint of sarcasm, thanking him for promoting his book on air and suggesting they exchange sweets. Despite Malviya's repeated insults and calls for him to retire, Sardesai refused to be intimidated and remained calm throughout the exchange.
He urged Malviya to avoid reducing the BJP to personal jibes, reminding him that the BJP was once led by stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, who maintained a positive attitude even in the face of electoral losses.
Sardesai emphasized the need for civil discourse and urged Malviya to smile. In a gesture of goodwill, he promised to send Malviya some Mysore Pak, a delicacy from Karnataka and requested that Malviya reciprocates by sending him some ladoo, a popular sweet from Uttar Pradesh.