Every time I hear a journalist use ‘Rahul’ and ‘Modiji’ in the same sentence, I feel nauseated. Either it is ‘Gandhiji’ and ‘Modiji’, or it is ‘Rahul’ and ‘Narendra’ (amongst other similar variations). I’d prefer the latter, to be honest. And so would, I suspect, Rahul Gandhi. About Narendra Modi, I am not so sure.
For those who claim that this is because Narendra Modi is the PM and Rahul Gandhi holds no constitutional position, note that Narendra Modi’s predecessor was called simply ‘Dr Manmohan Singh’ or ‘Manmohan Singh’ and not ‘Manmohanji’ or ‘Singhji’, and Lal Krishna Advani was not called ‘Lal’, but ‘Advaniji’, even though he held no constitutional position. So, that argument cuts no ice.
The attempted infantilisation of Rahul Gandhi is justified if you are in the BJP and wish to make a political point. But if you, as a journalist, are doing it, the only person that looks juvenile is you. It isn’t Rahul Gandhi who’s the Pappu here. It is the media. I feel sorry for the Fourth Estate and concerned for my country.
