A senior journalist-anchor of the Adani owned NDTV has come in for harsh criticism from a section of the media fraternity for being an apologist for Jeffey Epstein the self-confessed sex offender, and paedophile who died in custody. Several opinion pieces and podcasts by senior media persons and columnists have castigated the anchor and the channel for defending and downplaying Epstein while holding TV discussions. Media critics have argued that some mainstream Indian TV channels and anchors have framed discussions about Epstein in a way that seemed to justify or soften his crimes by emphasizing his “professional” role as a financier or power-broker, thereby separating him from his well-documented history as a convicted sex offender and trafficker. The TV anchor in question, while acknowledging Epstein’s paedophilia, tried to steer the discussion towards his role as a connector of elites rather than condemning his abusive conduct outright. Naturally this has been interpreted as evidence of a media unwilling to or unable to hold powerful figures and their networks to account.
This also brings into focus the broader issues within the Indian media today where TV debates held evening after evening have panelists supporting the present government being given more space to air their views while voices of dissonance are silenced or not given adequate time to frame their statements. This has been evidenced since 2014 when the Modi-led NDA Government assumed power. Several media channels today are reluctant to probe deeply into powerful figures mentioned in the files or to challenge political narratives. The most controversial one being the emails exchanged between Hardeep Singh Puri the present Petroleum Minister and Epstein at a time when Puri was a member of the US-based International Peace Institute (IPI). The emails which are now gone viral show a familiarity between Epstein and Puri. Naturally this outflow from the Epstein files released in instalments have singed a number of people the world over including important politicians who have since resigned their posts. But in India there are no such examples of politicians resigning on account of violation of moral and ethical principles, least of all to own up to a fault. Politicians remain belligerent and defensive about their acts of omission and commission. It is the media that must discharge its role of exposing such falls from grace by the high and mighty. But when the media instead tries to defend them then it has forfeited its role as the fourth pillar of democracy.
The Epstein Files released by the US Department of Justice include millions of documents — emails, images, videos and records related to his activities, networks and contacts including Anil Ambani. Epstein died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. There is no knowing as to who else from India will find their names in the files which are being released in instalments. While Hardeep Singh Puri has claimed that his only communication with Epstein was to assist businesses in India, the fact that he would seek the help of a known paedophile and sex offender is morally untenable. That is what the media ought to focus on instead of defending Puri by actually downplaying Epstein’s crimes.
