‘Journalism Not About Charming Govts’: WaPo Journo to BJP Leader

“Jeff Bezos doesn’t tell Washington Post journalists what to write,” tweeted WaPo journalist Eli Lopez.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: The Quint)

A war of words words broke out on Twitter between Eli Lopez, a Washington Post senior editor and BJP leader Vijay Chauthaiwale after the latter accused the American daily of biased and partisan reporting.

The spat started after Chauthaiwale responded to the daily’s owner and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ “Dynamism. Energy. Democracy. #IndianCentury” post, which he tweeted on 16 January.

Responding to Bezos’ video, where the billionaire entrepreneur talks about his investment plans for India and says that the 21st century is the “Indian Century”, the BJP leader said, “Mr Jeff Bezos, please tell this to your employees in Washington DC. Otherwise your charm offensive is likely to be waste of time and money.”

Lopez on Friday, 17 January, responded to Chauthaiwale saying that Bezos does not decide editorial leanings of the Washington Post.

“Jeff Bezos doesn't tell Washington Post journalists what to write. Independent journalism is not about charming governments. But there's no question the work of our correspondents and columnists fits within India's democratic traditions,” the journalist tweeted.

It is noteworthy that the Amazon CEO bought the Washington Post for $250 million in 2013.

Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, who is BJP’s Foreign Affairs department in-charge, then hit back at Lopez saying that Bezos must share his views about India with his employees. He followed it by accusing the American daily of “all anti-Pak references from an invited column by a prominent Indian columnist.”

Lopez was quick to respond saying that there was no merit to Chauthaiwale’s accusations and the writers who do not wish to go through the daily’s “rigorous editing process are welcomed to go elsewhere”.

This didn’t end here as the BJP leader then asked Lopez to “not dictate sermons” and talk about the specific case he was referring to.

Not the First BJP Leader to Snub Bezos

Bezos’ announcement of $1 billion investment on his first day in India earlier drew a sarcastic response from Union Minister Piyush Goyal. "It's not as if they are doing a great favour to India,” the minister said.

Although the minister later clarified that his comments had been misunderstood and that "all investment is welcome as long as it is within the law."