THE SKIN DOCTOR@theskindoctor13
"Modi has not done a single press conference in 12 years."
So what?
Not taking questions from the press is not some moral crime in itself. The media is not a council of high priests conducting a legitimacy exam that every Prime Minister must clear for democratic certification.
In a democracy, legitimacy comes from public mandate and governance, not from standing before cameras to satisfy a section of the media that mistakes access for accountability.
As such, today's media ecosystem is not some sacred, neutral institution operating above politics. Much of it is deeply polarized. Different political camps have their favorite journalists, narratives, and ecosystems. Questions are designed less to seek answers and more to manufacture headlines, extract viral moments, or build personal brands.
And those who hold frequent press conferences are not automatically standing on higher moral ground either. We have all seen planted easy questions from pliable journalists and difficult questions brushed aside with “aap rival party ki bhasha mat boliye,” deflections, or outright evasions.
The number of press conferences a leader does is not a certificate of transparency. Otherwise, by that logic, Trump, who interacts with the press almost daily, should automatically be considered the most transparent, most democratic, and the finest leader in the world.
