Skip to main content

New round of character assassination of top investigative woman journo "timed" with Gujarat Files' Hindi edition

By Rajiv Shah
Well-known investigative journalist Rana Ayyub, whose book "Gujarat Files", based on her sting operations of Gujarat government officials created a huge stir last year, has alleged that a new vicious round of character assassination against her has begun over the last one week, timed with the release of the Hindi edition her book.
Though it is more than a year that the book has come out, the state authorities have not challenged all that she noted in her book, nor have they sought to "authenticate" the tapes she claims are in her possession.
In her Facebook post, Ayyub says, "In the last one week, the humiliating experience of having to witness my character assassination timed around the release of the Hindi edition has begun", adding, "The misogyny, the alleged affairs that 'got me' my stories and made me write the book are back."
Ayyub's Facebook post comes close on the heels of former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt alleging in his Facebook post, though without naming her, as to how her "amorous peccadilloes" with a young CBI officer were "discreetly bugged by the operatives of the state police", and how the CBI officer was "made aware of the irrefutable video evidence against him."
Sanjiv Bhatt
This led to a situation, according to Bhatt, where "the hunter suddenly became the hunted. Deals were struck. The investigation was derailed. The encounter cases were diluted to the point of no repair. Young journalist wrote a titillating and fanciful account of her journalistic exploits in Gujarat, but took exceptional care to gloss over the role of the then Chief Minister in engineering the Gujarat carnage."
Ironically, one of the stings in the book quoted a senior official as saying that Modi took the “decision” of bringing 58 dead bodies, charred to death in the S-6 Sabarmati Express coach, from Godhra to Ahmedabad on February 27, 2002, triggering the riots in which at least 1,000 people died.
Pointing out that this gave the immediate reason for the riots to spread, the bureaucrat had told Ayyub, who posed as Maithili Tyagi from the prestigious American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles for the sting: “See, bringing the bodies to Ahmedabad flared up the whole thing but he was the one who took the decision”.
Noting that the effort to character assissinate she is "neither surprised nor furious, for this is the classic, most successful trick" to "silence someone specially if the facts stated don't suit your narrative", Ayyub recalls, this is what happened in July 2013, when "Tehelka" published her "damning expose reported by me on the involvement of IB officials who were complicit with the Modi dispensation in a series of fake encounters in Gujarat."
"It was the first time that a report had named IB officials who were considered kosher. The report created a media sensation followed by a classic act by those named of discrediting my work", she says in her Facebook post, adding, "A slander campaign and a character assassination was launched by supporters of those involved with a hashtag #ranaayyubcd running on social media for two days."
She continues, "Officials in the dispensation in Gujarat and in the IB personally called up editors and journalists asking them not to pay heed to the story, also suggesting that I was using my 'friendship' in the CBI to get the information. The innuendo was not to be missed."
"Tehelka", a journal which she quit later, Ayyub says, defended her through an editorial, which said, "Her scoops on the Ishrat Jahan case began to make national headlines", one reason why she had to face "the humiliating experience of being assessed not as a professional but as a 'Muslim journalist'."
"Equally dismaying", the editorial said, was "a despicable slander campaign" unleashed against her with "shadowy whispers about a CD involving her and CBI officers that have absolutely no basis in truth. "
Adds Ayyub, when she "challenged the chauvinists and the mythmakers to present the CD so I could watch it with my family... facts outweighed the gossip machinery."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Excellent post. I was checking constantly this weblog and
I'm inspired! Very helpful info particularly the ultimate part :) I handle such information a lot.

I was seeking this certain info for a very lengthy time. Thanks and best
of luck.
Anonymous said…
Oh my goodness! Amazing article dude! Thank you, However I am encountering difficulties
with your RSS. I don't understand why I can't subscribe to it.

Is there anybody having identical RSS issues? Anyone that knows the solution will you kindly respond?
Thanx!!
Anonymous said…
Thanks for finally writing about >"New round of character assassination of top investigative woman journo "timed" with Gujarat Files' Hindi edition" <Loved it!

TRENDING

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.

Workers' groups condemn Gujarat Ordinance increasing working hours, warn of statewide agitation

By A Representative   At a consultation organised today by the Asangathit Shramik Hit Rakshak Manch at Circuit House in Ahmedabad, leaders of major trade unions and labour rights organisations strongly opposed the Gujarat government’s recent ordinance amending the Factories Act and the draft rules notified under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, 2020. Around 50 representatives from central trade unions, independent unions, and labour welfare organisations participated in the meeting.

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.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar  For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

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.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative   Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

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.

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.

A matter of deep concern: The silent struggles of India's visually impaired women

By N.S. Venkataraman  Visual impairment is one of the most severe forms of physical disability that afflicts humanity, and its impact is even more acute when it affects women. The burden becomes overwhelming when visually impaired women also belong to economically weaker sections of society, with little or no financial or institutional support. Their struggle for dignity, survival, and identity is often invisible—hidden in plain sight across cities and rural corners alike. And yet, these women form a large, neglected segment of society not just in India, but around the world. In India, governmental assistance to visually impaired persons exists but remains minimal. While policies are framed with good intent, they often fall short in implementation. More importantly, no real distinction is made between the unique challenges faced by visually impaired men and women. This gender-blind approach to disability support overlooks the compounded social vulnerabilities that women face due to...