My response to the Radia transcripts (NEW)-Vir Sanghvi (18/11/10)

My response to the Radia transcripts (NEW)

Posted By: Vir Sanghvi | Posted On: 18 Nov 2010 08:38 PM

(MAKE ME CORRECT IF I GET IT ALL WRONG,BUT IS IT RIGHT TO TAKE ALL POINTS IN DICTATIONS AND WRITE IT IN YOUR POPULAR COLOUMN AS IT IS, IN HT,WITHOUT PUTTING "YOUR POINT OF VIEW" IN IT,AS "YOUR TELEPHONIC CONVERSATIONS" SAYS??? DON'T YOU THINK PEOPLE READ IT BECAUSE OF YOUR CREDIBILITY AS A JOURNALIST AND BELIEVE IT,AS IT IS????....VIBHA)

Several months ago, stories began appearing in a section of the media suggesting that I – along with other journalists – had lobbied on behalf of A. Raja.



As I have never met Mr Raja and have attacked his corruption in both print and TV, these assertions struck me as bizarre.



The stories were based on tape-recorded conversations that Niira Radia had with innumerable individuals, including several journalists.



A magazine has now published what purports to be transcripts of those conversations though it says “We are in no position to endorse the contents of the recordings” which presumably means that it is not guaranteeing their authenticity.



While nobody can remember verbatim every conversation that took place 19 months ago, these transcripts do not appear to be entirely accurate.



Moreover, there is nothing at all in the transcripts to suggest that I lobbied for Mr Raja. The conversations recorded relate to the phase when there was an impasse between the DMK and the Congress. Ms Radia called several journalists, including me, to ask us to convey a message to any Congress leaders we met in the course of our work. This message was, essentially, that the Congress was communicating with the wrong people in the DMK.



While gathering news, journalists talk to a wide variety of sources from all walks of life, especially when a fast-moving story is unfolding. Out of a desire to elicit more information from these sources, we are generally polite. I received many calls from different sources during that period. In no case did I act on those requests as anybody in the government will know.



The second conversation relates to the dispute between the Ambani brothers. I had asked Ms Radia to explain the position of her client, Mukesh Ambani. And I also asked Anil Ambani’s side for its views.



This was recorded in the piece. I wrote: “My friend, Tony Jesudasan, who represents Anil, took me out to lunch and made out a case for Anil. I was totally convinced till my friend, Niira Radia, who represents Mukesh, gave me the other side which frankly seemed just as convincing to my inexpert ears”.



I also wrote, “Why do the Ambanis think that all of us should take sides in their battle? Or that we should care what happens to them?”



That still remains my view.


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