DO NOT SHOOT THE MESSENGER

`Hope my lord has understood what I was trying to tell him two weeks ago about Saint P(AAP) Punya Prasun Vajpayee’ 

This is the message I received from one of my close friends  yesterday. I could sense the glee, having seen an `AAP sympathiser’ fall.

And almost immediately,  I  rose to defend PPV. And why not.

Almost anyone who has interacted with PPV can vouch for the fact that he  is a gud man. A gem.

During my stint as Wisden Producer for AAJTAK for their Cricket  programme (I had followed the footsteps of Gaurav Kalra who had joined CNN-IBN), I used to sit in TV Today building for close t 8-9 hours on each match day.  Those used to be lonely days. You do not often have friends if you are not a permanent employee of an organisation. Interaction is generally a casuality as outsiders can never be fully trusted 

But Punya Prasun, despite his seniority as an India renowned presentor,  always made it a point to take a `walking pause’ around my seat,   briefly talk about the match situation, and, almost always, share words of encouragement.

I will never forget these gestures. It was such a boost then (August 2005 to Dec 2006 was the period). He is among the most humble of guys I have met, despite all the limelight around him as being part of India’s most popular, if not the best, channel.

Even in the current controversy, I do not, for a moment think, that PPV can be blamed in any way. During my stint as BiTV correspondent, many businessmen and politicians, after an interview, have requested me to remove some comments, which they may have given in the heat of the moment, and highlight some, which could promote their organisation.  Sometimes I obliged, sometimes did not. But always in consultation with my then programme producers.

What PPV did, or did not do, Everyone does. It is normal, it is natural, it is acceptable.

 (more to follow)
Two other new posts are 
http://atulsondhi.blogspot.in/2014/03/raj-deep-in-land-of-eye-blinding-lights.html   AND 
http://atulsondhi.blogspot.in/2014/03/i-will-never-call-them-aaptards-but-15.html