The News Minute| September 28, 2014| 10.50 pm IST| Updated September 29, 2014| 9.45 am IST
Headlines Today consulting editor and senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai was heckled at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday hours before PM Narendra Modi was scheduled to deliver a speech at the same location.
Though the entire sequence isn't exactly clear, three videos have emerged showing two portions of the incident.
India Today has uploaded a video that shows Rajdeep Sardesai engaged in a conversation with a crowd at Madison Square, before Prime Minister Modi's address was slated to happen. The video shows Rajdeep talking to some people, he repeats some questions like, 'Can one man change India,' 'Did you pay for tickets to Madison Square event?' and 'Would you come back to India.' Then he suddenly tells the camera to shift to the other end, where a smaller crowd can be seen approaching saying 'Rajdeep Murdabad.' He is then seen asking them questions, including whether they thought media was being unfair to him. Some in the group are seen sporting T-shirts with Modi's face on it.
As the crowd keeps chanting Modi Modi, not allowing Rajdeep to continue with his questioning, he asks them if Modi taught them to behave that way. The video cuts off with Rajdeep turning to the camera and saying the best way to describe the crowd behind him was a 'frenzied Modi crowd', even as the crowd is chanting angrily behind him.
The next video uploaded by a user R R Mehta shows Sardesai involved a minor tussle with the crowd.
Rajdeep tweeted after the incident.
Great crowd at Modison square garden! except a few idiots who still believe abuse is a way of proving their machismo! #ModiAtMadison
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 28, 2014Glad we caught the idiots on cam. Only way to shame the mob is to show them. #ModiAtMadison
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) September 28, 2014After the incident, however, some people came forward in criticism of the alleged bad behaviour of the crowd. Even Mr. Vijay Jolly, the organizer of the event, apologized to Sardesai for the tussle, reported Headlines Today.
Rajdeep Sardesai's colleagues tweeted about what they saw in the video.
Just saw the full video. Disgusting mob-like behaviour outside Madison Square Garden. Nothing, absolutely nothing excuses physical heckling.
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 28, 2014Seen the video frame by frame. Man in yellow kurta started fight by grabbing @SardesaiRajdeep's shirt. Belongs in a prison cell.
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 28, 2014Yet another video shows a 27 second clip that shows Rajdeep in a tussle, shoving a man in an orange t-shirt.
In spite of all the videos, the entire sequence is not clear. Journalists cutting across media have come forward supporting Rajdeep Sardesai
Whatever happened to @sardesairajdeep at Madison Square is condemnable..We Indians must show some grace at least in a foreign country..
— Nishant Chaturvedi (@nishantchat) September 28, 2014Since when is difference of opinion a justification for a sr journalist,(or anyone for that matter) being manhandled? http://t.co/5wFADo6PvE
— Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) September 28, 2014In the 11 second video I noted that -1. Rajdeep Sardesai moved towards the heckler. 2. A man in the crowd said no & stopped the heckler.
— kaveri (@ikaveri) September 28, 2014Rajdeep Sardesai shows amazing grace in the face of lumpen behaviour in NYC.
— Javed M Ansari (@javedmansari) September 28, 2014Rajdeep, to the crowd: Do you think one man can change India?A young man: If one woman can loot India, one man can change India.
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARangarajan1972) September 28, 2014Rajdeep, to the crowd: Do you think one man can change India?A young man: If one woman can loot India, one man can change India.
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARangarajan1972) September 28, 2014There were those who criticised him too
Watching video,seems evident @sardesairajdeep goaded the crowd hoping for a reax & turning into news. Bad journalism. http://t.co/nTGeF6wRfy
— rupa subramanya (@rupasubramanya) September 28, 2014"Did @narendramodi teach you to behave badly?" asks @sardesairajdeep to the crowd. What kind of journalism is this?
— rupa subramanya (@rupasubramanya) September 28, 2014