After 16 days of COVID i mixed my father’s ashes into a rose plant and two evergreen trees, sought his blessings, and return my broken heart to the reporting road for
@themojostory
starting travels through rural India. This will be a personal pilgrimage. Wish us luck and love
The kindest, loveliest man I have every known, my father Speedy, lost the COVID battle and died this morning. When I took him to hospital, against his will, I promised I would bring him home in two days. I couldn’t keep my word. I failed. He never broke a promise he made to us
I think
@narendramodi
hug of a heart broken
@isro
chairman was a group hug of a billion plus people. A very fine gesture. And just what was needed. To criticise and politicise even this as some are doing is to deny any transcendental moments for the country to unite as one
#ISRO
Vinod has been my driver for 20 years and more. Today his daughter Ekta is training in a certified institute to be airline cabin crew. He devoted his savings to education for his children. This aspiration and mobility is the great untold story of our times. Proud of him.
I think we should welcome this gesture from
@ImranKhanPTI
on the release of
#Abhinandan
. The door for deescalation has been opened. And this is really not the time for dumb and needless gloating by tv anchors
In the land of the punjab at 3 am we found dinner. I cannot begin to describe how much joy a fresh roti gives me and my team these days. Today begins Day 47 of chronicling the Pandemic and lockdown. Thank you for being part of our journey.
Disappointing to see
@Malala
wade into cliched Pakistan state narrative about
#Kashmir
when the hard truth is that she can never even return to her own country because she was shot for the rights of girls to go to school.
I traveled 94 days reporting the Battle Against the Pandemic& then reversed my car, drove 14 hours to get to the Battle Against China in Ladakh. Because if you're a reporter you must go to where the story is. Day 94 of our journey brings us to Leh.Special reports on
@themojo_in
In a viral video from
#Jamia
we saw two young women save a male friend from police lathis by giving him cover. We also saw the same women standing atop a roof raising hands in another viral image. I meet Ladeeda Farzana & Ayesha Renna, sheroes of Jamia & Shaheen whom they saved
The incredible story of Mujibur Rehman, I meet him in
#Mustafabad
. The mob burnt his house, looted his belongings, his life was saved by his Hindu neighbour, Sanjiv. He's read both the Vedas & the Quran & this is his message of peace. A moment of sunshine in despair.
#DelhiRiots
Dear Mumbai, you fixed my car, fed me food, gave me clean clothes, loved me and set me free. Perfect relationship. Seriously, you are the best. Onwards. Day 59. On the Road with the Pandemic.
"Could Yogi not have arranged even a bus for us, Is it because we're? Poor?"-Rajneesh, is walking 247Km on foot to Bareilly. "Poverty will kill us before the virus"- If we airlift Indians how can we abandon millions of our poor. If states wont, let the Army. My
#Mojo
report
I met Danish, son of Mohammed Akhlaq, whose own broken skull took two brain surgeries to heal. He hasn't been home to Dadri for 3 years. He still smiles, talks of Mohabbat & wants to be an IAS officer. If you mock his story with abuse you arent fit to be a human.
#OnTheRoad2019
We are on a 15 hour road trip through the heartland to continue to bring you ground reports on the Pandemic, the lockdown and its aftermath. This is a small break in Tonk. We will have more for you tomorrow, Day 39 of reporting
@themojo_in
. Wish us luck. With
@prashantityagi
We can question our government. Can you question yours? It's called a democracy. And that is what nationalism truly is. To raise uncomfortable questions, that I'd love to hear from you on trampling of tibetans, massacre of Uighurs and spreading of Corona via wet markets. Do it.
Well, even if Chinese people want to boycott Indian products, they can't really find many Indian goods. Indian friends, you need to have some things that are more important than nationalism.
21 years ago I met the extraordinary
#VikramBatra
, Code name, Sher Shah, the swashbuckling soldier who was one of the first interviews I did at the
#Kargil
frontline and would be the first obituary tribute I'd write as well. It feels like yesterday to me. I can hear his laugh 1/n
"They tell women to stay at home and not speak up, but speak up we must. Nobody can take our voice"- 22 year old Ayesha Renna & Ladeeda Farzana -Sheroes from 2 viral images from
#Jamia
, one in which they save their male friend from lathis, speak to me about Women Leading protests
The defeat of Kapil Mishra settles all theoretical debates on whether hate slogans and hate politics worked. The voter had the last laugh on who is the "Desh ka gaddar". BJP on single digits now. Proof that polarisation has bombed.
#DelhiElection2020
If the
#PakistanArmy
steals this election the people of their country may never forgive them. And if they don't and allow
#ImranKhanPTI
and independents to take their democratic victory then its the biggest knock to their shadowy authority in decades. Either way they lose.
On this day in 1984, my mother Prabha, seen here on assignment in Bihar, died while at the peak of her career. India’s first woman war correspondent, she reported the 1965 war from the frontline and broke a zillion other barriers and formed me and shaped me deeply
Vomit inducing coverage of Sushant Singh's Rajput on television channels. Trivialization of mental health issues, privacy, personal relations- and now oh, the brazen misogyny. Ugh. Ashamed I was once part of this medium.
Most of my friends have fancier cars. This does the trick for me. 23000 kilometres plus in 3 months of being
#OnTheRoad
. Still standing. Both the car and Me. Well ok, I'm sitting. But you know what i mean.. 😊
Nobody thought we could do it. Even we didn't. But 71 days & 14000 kms later, a journey that started in the North has reached the south in Kerala. Through Delhi, Punjab, UP, MP, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka. Here with Fisher women in Kasaragod
This man has routinely tarnished journalists and even called for their trial and arrest. I wont shed a tear for him facing criminal action for his dangerous, communal and vile reportage.
Isn't it bizarre that a police that has been raining lathis on students in
#Jamia
#AMU
didn't raise one lathi on the iron rod carrying masked vandals of
#JNU
who sauntered away after wrecking property, beating women, teachers. sTudents tell me they're being tbreatened by cops
I did not know Sushant Singh but I do know that one of the deepest reasons for depression is choking on your own emotion and putting up a brave front. Im often called an emotional fool, but id rather be quick to tears, anger and joy, then wear a veneer that is throttling you
Here is the mob wielding iron rods and lathis and sticks freely roaming the JNU campus. The main gate is blocked, media not being allowed inside either. This is a complete collapse.
@ArvindKejriwal
if the police won't step in you must
Today in Surat, at the platform, I waved goodbye to the Train to Bihar. After 53 days of telling the stories of Migrant workers walking our national highways, for 100s of kms, sometimes barefoot, often without any food, this felt incredible and personal.
Children are being blocked from online classes and school whats app groups as parents struggle to pay full fees because of the lack of income or jobs cuts. This is news. You wont see it on TV. You will see it tonight on
@themojo_in
Only in India will we legislate on something called 'Love Jihad' but refuse to pass a law on marital rape. This is how much we love our women. And their right to say both Yes and No.
Apoorva,daughter of Pulwama Martyr, says to politicians: "My father did not die for Modi or Rahul. He died for India. Cant you contest an election without dragging us soldiers in. Once elections are over, you will forget us. We know it. " Stirring words on
#ThisIsUs
. Share
Lunch today. A feast by the standards of highways that have no food or open dhabas. Gatte ki sabzi, paneer, roti served on a kagaz ki plate, had on a newspaper. Tomorrow is Day 41 of reporting the Pandemic & the lockdown from the ground. Thank you everyone for all the support
At
#Mojo
we brought you the story of Mujibur Rehman who was saved by his Hindu neighbour Sanjiv. We spent 24 hours looking for Sanjiv & now bring you his extraordinary courage & compassion. He breaks down: "They called me a terrorist for saving a life". Watch, Share
#DelhiRiots
Everyone who declared
#PakistanElections
rigged with foregone outcome -that's mostly everyone, including me, is stunned at this moment.
#ImranKhanPTI
candidates lead in more than than 140 seats defying plans of
#PakistanArmy
. If this holds, will results be accepted? And if not..
#RheaChakraborty
finally gets bail after a month. She has been the subject of utmost misogynistic vilification, led by some of our major TV news channels ( some of whom tried and trying to change track midway).
Some nights on the road look like this. Got lost in Karnataka and ended up inside the interiors instead of the national Highway. Spent 9 hours on the road at night. Took our majorly sad faces and pleading to get dhaba to agree to let us sit past closing time. Day 65 begins today
In Delhi's Connaught Place, men shouting "Desh Ke Gaddaron Ko, Goli Maaron Salo Ko." marching through our capital as
@DelhiPolice
stands and watches. Are the deaths of our citizens already not quite enough? What is this nonsense
#DelhiRiots
I blame television media much more than politicians for mainlining hate and violence in India. They, fulminating, ranting, raving, inciting, with hashtags of hate are the real
#TukdeTukdeGang
.
My wonderful, gentle father, Speedy to friends and family alike, was placed on a ventilator at three am. I had to consent and it’s the hardest decision I’ve ever taken. All my hope is slipping away, but if there is a sliver , a tiny little sliver to hold on to, here we are
Is the Indian cricket team going to take a gratuitous knee for Black Lives Matter, entirely disconnected from the Indian reality, but stay silent on the bigoted online attacks against Mohd Shami? We expect better
@imVkohli
.
Home is where the charpoy is. A dhaba between Udaipur and Ahmedabad. The rain drenched night sky was stunning. Day 52 begins of reporting the Pandemic and lockdown from the ground for
@themojo_in
. Now, 7 states, 7000 km plus clocked in reporting this story.
I am standing a kilometre from the
#Hathras
village where the gangrape and murder of a Dalit woman has shaken India. No journalists are being allowed past this barricade. Why is
@UPGovt
blocking our right to report this? We will try our best. My reports coming to
@themojo_in
Prime Minister
@narendramodi
angrily says there has been no talk of nationwide NRC except Supreme Court mandated
#NRC
in Assam. But this sir is not true. The Home Minister has clearly referenced it. All you need to say is that there is NO NRC for India
#CAA
#NRC
#RamlilaMaidan
Prabha Dutt reporting the 1965 war from the frontline.. My ferociously strong, molten hearted mommy who went too soon, but not before she taught us that courage is the conviction of those willing to travel alone. We miss you.
#HappyMothersDay
Sushant Singh Rajput's Therapist Susan Walker reached out to
@themojo_in
& broke her silence. Says Media's irresponsible coverage on Mental Health dismayed her & made going public her "duty". Says Sushant "suffered from Bipolar Disorder" & "Rhea gave him courage to seek help"
Ouch!!
Can't believe he openly said this. Such a shameful reporting
@sudhirchaudhary
You can continue debating about national issues such as mandir-maazid and hindu-mushlim, and don't cry when market falls down and zee news shares goes down.
There is no real meaning to social distancing when a woman breaks down in your arms after a third failed attempt to get to her village only to be turned back at the border.
I meet the
#Hathras
victims mother. "They (upper caste men) told us if our boys are punished we won't let you live. We'll have to leave the village. But Im ready. My daughter must get justice. Now they claim she wasn't raped.Will India help me?" my interview soon on
@themojo_in
Khajur, nimbupani and pineapple and mango from Golden Gate dhaba midway between Surat and Mumbai, run by Omar Bhai as he breaks his roza. Shukriya. Kindness of strangers still sustaining us On The Road with the Pandemic. Day 54.
In Delhi Dad in his 80s, tested positive for COVID even as I am
#OnTheRoad
in Maharashtra tracking the
#SecondWave
. Finding the balance between remaining calm, clear headed and professional and a panic stricken daughter is my immediate tightrope to walk. Keep him in your prayers
I had close to 1000 abusive messages and calls in a Cordinated and violent mob attack. These included a message to shoot me, a nude photo, many sexually abusive messages. I outed the men who did this. Twitter locked me till many of the details were taken down. I wroe this to them
BHU students protesting against a Muslim Professor for teaching Sanskrit are living embodiments of bigotry. I can't even begin to imagine the heartbreak of Firoz Khan. Why doesn't the university suspend these students.
At night
#ImranKhan
had swept
#PakistanElections
decimating the might of the Army that wanted to decimate him. However hours later numbers on TV seem different. Is this the Pakistan Army stealing election in a post-coup, coup? Or...? Interesting to see how this emerges.
On 31st of March the govt told the Supreme Court there are no Migrants on the Road. This week alone, first on Agra Expressway & today on Kota-Indore National Highway 52, I meet Children, Women, Men walking. India's Invisible. We want to pretend they aren't there. They are.
In the Republic of Noise and the reality of the Times Now what will India Today do without gossip, venom and slander now that Sushant Singh has been found to have committed suicide 🤔
What is this absolute CRAP. If attending Imran Khan's swearing in is anti national, is our entire cricket team treacherous because they signed a bat for him ? Aren't journalists seriously ashamed of mouthing this bakwas .. shameful.
Gavaskar puts India first. Turns down Imran's invite. 'Desh' not 'dost' priority. Message for Sidhu and Cong. Pro-Imran lobby is on test. Will Sidhu dump Imran too?
@madhavgk
on
#SidhuLearnFromSunny
Calm, composed and dignified
#Abhinandan
you do us proud. Shrill Prime time evangelists could learn from officers like him. So relieved to see he is safe, treated professionally and hopefully will be handed back to India soon as per the Geneva convention.
Modi Ji,
The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won’t protect you.
All my love and a huge hug.
Rahul
The right wing media did not spend a fraction of outrage on a woman accused of a terror blast who sits in Parliament as they have on the Facebook posts of two 22 years olds. I'm just struck by how important it is to them to make the students protesting against
#CAA
look bad.
Watch Exclusive: First response to me from
@sherryontopp
on
#Kartarpur
in Lahore Fort : "Only a tree laden with fruit is pelted with stones. Don't care about critics". On
@capt_amarinder
not coming he tells me: "It's his personal choice;I'm on Top of the world"
Let this sink in.
#Unnao
Rape survivor's father was beaten to death. Now she is critically injured in a truck hit. Two of her relatives are dead. Her lawyer is critical. The rape accused, BJP lawmaker
#Sengar
was visited by Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj in jail. Let this sink in.
It was past one in the morning. I was on the road in our car trying to make it our next stop. Suddenly, near Bhiwandi, in Maharashtra, I was woken up by the sound of a child crying. This is what I saw-in the dead of the night. Haunting. For more:
A government that calls out an army of hatemongers of twitter to mock the grief of those whose loved ones have died instead of calling out the real army to build field hospitals. This is the shit we're put through in a week we lost our dad. Let me repeat: you will not silence us
Says Mr Pai from the comfort of his wealth and fancy IPADs as the poor of India die without beds and oxygens at hospitals and uncounted at cremation grounds. I normally never respond to your tripe, but it’s time to tell you to go to hell
Only those like
@BDUTT
who take a macabre ghoulish delight at our misery will do this!Crematoriums are holy places where we mourn our loss,send our dear ones onwards,not places you use to gloat!You are a big disgrace to India
@indumathi37
@avatans
Dinner on the highway between Kota in Rajasthan & Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Dhabas without food. Nights without moonshine. One man kindly agreed to make us roti & dal. We are grateful for the kindness of strangers as we hit our 39th day of reporting the Pandemic for
@themojo_in