Skip to main content

When Modi handed over written answers to questions Gulf News never asked

By A Representative
Amidst raging controversy on how "tame" Times Now interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was, especially when it was taken by its aggressive editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, a well-known Dubai-based journalist has revealed that arranging an interview with Modi is a "long drawn and cumbersome process", ending up with a "handshake" and  "a written script" prepared in advance.
Boby Naqvi, who met Modi ahead of the latter's United Arab Emirates (UAE) visit for an interview with "Gulf News", giving a first-hand experience of his meeting with Modi on August 16, 2015 in a Facebook post, says he had requested interview on bilateral relations between the two countries and India's role in the Arab world.
After he applied for an interview with Modi, Naqvi says, he received news from a foreign office bureaucrat that the interview was “arranged” in the presence of “two other publications”, Naqvi says, "I had no option but to grudgingly accept it."
Worse, Naqvi says, "I was told to send my questions for prior approval by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).”
Saying that he though he received “several requests for security clearance” about the name of the driver, car registration number, the photographer's details, etc., Naqvi adds, "Till the last moment I had no clue about the venue and time of the meeting."
"All I was told was that it could be anytime after his Red Fort speech on the Independence Day. After frantic calls on August 14, I was given the phone number of my point of contact in Delhi. This person asked me to be in the capital before noon and said the exact time and venue would be provided later", Naqvi says.
When he was about to board the flight on August 14, Naqvi says, he got a "strange phone call" from a prominent Muslim personality, considered close to the PM, revealing that he knew of the interview, “even though he is not part of the government”.
On reaching Delhi, he was told his photographer “would not be allowed and that pictures would be taken by the Prime Minister's official photographer." But when he decided to put his foot down, a few hours later the photographer was "allowed" on the condition that he would spend only five minutes inside.
Driving down on the rainy day, "at the first checkpoint at 7 Race Course Road we faced another trouble. A huge flashlight almost blinded us when a heavily armed man in a raincoat approached the car. The sound of heavy downpour made it impossible to hear him. All he could understand was that we are 'from Dubai'," Naqvi says.
After security checks, his card was escorted inside. On reaching the spot, he says, “an officer again took our details and radioed them to his superiors inside the office-residence complex. After several minutes, he said the photographer had no security clearance.” But after some hassle, they were “allowed inside".
On reaching in, a PMO official told Naqvi, "After photos and handshakes, the prime minister will look at you, and then you start your conversation", adding, this was followed by "another shocker... that I can ask only one question and answers to my remaining questions would be provided in writing after the meeting."
Naqvi says, "The meeting went as per the script. After a warm handshake, we spoke in Hindi about my late night flight and his Red Fort speech earlier that day. Another journalist who was scheduled to speak next (he came from US and picked up a gift for the PM from duty free) spoke in English via a translator."
"An hour or so after the meeting was over", Naqvi says, "I was given printed transcripts of the conversation and answers to my questions that I couldn't ask."
Naqvi comments, "I wasn't surprised when I read that questions for Times Now interview were sought in advance and that the interview was scripted."

Comments

Anonymous said…
He is a fake prime minister as the whole world knows. And Indian media is so coward, they won't dare to ask him about his role in supporting RSS, VHP, Bambang dal and other Hindu terrorist organisations.
Arindam Sen said…
This is the procedure followed by bureaucrats for most Head of States. Nothing new in the case of NaMo. Being a popular leader by a fair distance in the country, he attracts unwarranted controversies.
Anonymous said…
is this joker of a man Booby Naqvi an idiot? Try getting Trump or interview with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia or Putin. you wont even get to shake hands. this man is a wretched soul, against India and pro Pak. he must be getting funded to be so damn anti India

TRENDING

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor*  A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra  Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas*  Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan  Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative   At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

Activists allege abduction and torture by Delhi Police Special Cell in missing person probe

By A Representative   A press statement released today by the Campaign Against State Repression (CASR) alleges that several student and social activists have been abducted, illegally detained, and subjected to torture by the Delhi Police Special Cell. The CASR claims these actions are linked to an investigation into the disappearance of Vallika Varshri, an editorial team member of 'Nazariya' magazine.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman*   The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Gender violence defies stringent laws: The need for robust social capital

By Dr. Manoj Kumar Mishra*  The tragic death of Miss Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, who reportedly self-immolated due to harassment, shocked the conscience of Odisha. Even before the public could process this horrifying event, another harrowing case emerged—a 15-year-old girl from Balanga, Puri, was allegedly set ablaze by miscreants. These incidents are not isolated; they highlight a disturbing pattern of rising gender-based violence across the state and the country.