When Raj Thackeray Schooled Arnab Goswami

For so many people (read Sanjay Jha) it was quite a satisfactory Thursday.

Afterall, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray gave TV anchor and Times Now Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami a taste of his own medicine in his very own one-to-one show “Frankly Speaking”.

“This is an interview, and not an interrogation” was MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s reprimand when Arnab repeatedly asked the same question as to why the MNS chief supported BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi despite his opposition to the party itself.

“I have made it clear that I am supporting Modi for his work. This does not mean that I am supporting BJP. I do not intend to join the NDA. I just want the country to get a stable government,” Raj said, explaining his support to Modi.

But when Goswami repeatedly mentioned how Modi and Thackeray had taken different positions on the issue of migrant labourers, Thackeray threatened to leave the interview halfway.

“I do not agree with Modi on this issue. In Gujarat, they may not have enough people to do menial jobs and so they need people from UP and Bihar. But in Maharashtra, we have enough people who need jobs,” he said.

In response to a question on a recent statement by Rajnath Singh in Pune, calling the MNS support an “unsolicited” one, Thackeray said he didn’t care what Singh said. “I am supporting Modi, and not Rajnath. I am not bothered about what he says.”

During the whole interview, Arnab was seen whining and whimpering due to Thackeray’s attack.

In fact Arnab was not the only one who was schooled. Apparently, CNN-IBN Editor Rajdeep Sardesai was also chided by Raj on television during another one-on-one.

During the interview, he asked Sardesai to sit back and not to raise his voice as it was not an interrogation. He also took him at hand for giving too much air time to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party.

“You media people made AAP a big thing…it collapsed in 49 days,” he said.

Meanwhile Twitter enjoyed these two conversations and was flooded with witty tweets. Here’s a look:

Raj Thackeray is a great interview subject, Gives it back as much as he gets

— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) April 17, 2014

 

Raj Thackeray is doing to Arnab what Arnab does to others everyday. LOL! Arnab = Speechless

— गीतिका (@ggiittiikkaa) April 17, 2014

 

Nana Patekar is wearing Raj Thackeray’s mask on Times Now.

— Supreme Leader (@engineerbyheart) April 17, 2014

 

Raj Thackeray is doing sanjayjhaisation of arnab

— सुरेश नाखुआ (@sureshnakhua) April 17, 2014

 

Raj Thackeray says :”you conducted i/w of Rahul Gandhi.. Do you think he is future of India” 😄😄 pic.twitter.com/bX7Ta4oeHd

— Utpal Pathak (@PunyaPrakop) April 17, 2014

 

I think Arnab Goswami occasionally invites and allows Raj Thackeray to hector him only to prove that he’s, after all, human.

— Stereotypewriter (@babumoshoy) April 17, 2014

 

Arnab Goswami (tremulously): Can I please ask a question? Raj Thackeray (dismissively): Yes, but only after I have answered your question.

— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) April 16, 2014

 

Thackeray is known for his strict and arrogant demeanour. He has recently spoken against Gujarat Model despite his love for Modi saying that Maharshtra is better off than Gujarat.