BJP spokesperson Shazia Ilmi has lodged a defamation case against India Today anchor Rajdeep Sardesai over a video posted by him on social media, accusing Ilmi of “abusing” the channel’s video journalist, Bar and Bench reported.  

The video in question, posted by Sardesai on July 27, showed Ilmi taking off her mic at her home during a debate on “Politics over Kargil Vijay Diwas” on the channel’s primetime show Big Debate. When the channel’s video journalist turned the camera towards Ilmi again, she charged at him, saying “get out of my house”, the clip purportedly showed.   

Ilmi was ostensibly angry after she was stopped from interrupting retired Major General Yash Mor. The retired army official had commented that the armed forces are no longer the “number one choice” of the rural youth, who are “disheartened” by the government’s policies. 

Sardesai had asked Ilmi to practice patience and listen to the “hard facts”. When she replied that the anchor must not “sermonise”, a heated argument ensued, resulting in her walking out of the show. She then allegedly fumed at the video journalist and took to X, calling Sardesai a bully and one of the “political propagandists masquerading as journalists”. She also accused him of creating “mischief” by “pitting one ex-army chief against all other defence chiefs”. 

Sardesai replied with the video, saying “fader is lowered only to avoid crosstalk and noise on the show. If you have a grouse with me or with an army general on the show, of course that’s your prerogative. And I respect that too. But for you to chuck the Mike and abuse our video journalist and throw him out of your house is just NOT done.” 

But Ilmi called the video a “proof” of the video journalist’s “misconduct”. Calling him “lecherous”, she accused him of “focusing on her upper body” despite her being “uncomfortable”.   

The Delhi High Court has now asked Sardesai and India Today to “furnish the complete video” before the court. The matter will be next heard on August 13.

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