‘Debate involves 2 living persons’: After backlash, India Today changes Pattanaik vs Sanyal show

After renaming towns and public places, the Narendra Modi government is at the centre of a storm for ostensibly pushing its first international name change idea – India to Bharat. And amid a political war of words, Newstrack – which is one of India Today’s flagship shows hosted by the channel’s news director Rahul Kanwal – on Wednesday tried to discuss the issue.

The telecast, headlined “India or Bharat?”, featured author and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik and historian and economist Sanjeev Sanyal. 

As the show began, Kanwal introduced the discussion, stating, “As the political war over India and Bharat explodes, it is important to immerse ourselves into the historical, cultural, and mythological roots of the names India and Bharat...I am delighted to be joined on India Today’s Newstrack by two renowned intellectuals and historians.” 

Kanwal appeared in the middle of the split-screen, with Pattanaik on the right and Sanyal on the left. Before moving ahead, Kanwal acknowledged that Sanyal was present live on air and that he had sent five questions to Pattanaik, who had responded with pre-recorded answers.

“But since these are responses from different sides of the ideological divide, I thought it would be interesting for our viewers to hear both answers at the same time. Because the questions are roughly the same but sensibilities at the responses come from different directions of the ideological divide,” said Kanwal.

But what unfolded on screen seemed to depart from this intended format. After playing Pattanaik’s answer to Kanwal’s question, a question based on Pattanaik’s views was directed to Sanyal, affording him ample opportunity for rebuttal. 

Despite Kanwal’s clear declaration at the end of the show that Pattanaik’s comments were pre-recorded, the show’s format inadvertently conveyed a one-sided debate where Sanyal was afforded considerable time to critique Patnaik’s ideas without offering Patnaik the opportunity for a counter. As Sanyal spoke, Pattanaik’s visuals remained on the screen next to Kanwal, creating an illusion of his presence.

After the show, pro-Hindutva X handles, including BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, began sharing the video, hailing it as a “victory” for Sanyal in the “India vs Bharat” debate. “Watch Sanjeev Sanyal completely demolish Devdutt Pattanaik’s credibility…Pattnaik got the walloping of a lifetime on live TV!” Malviya wrote.

Responding to Malviya on X, Pattanaik said, “Shouting at a pre-recorded video is not a debate… But then some people believe mytho-fiction to be history.” 

Newslaundry reached out to Pattanaik for a comment, but he declined, citing his dismay at the lack of ethics in the media.

Writing on X, Pattanaik criticised Kanwal’s approach, accusing him of using editing tricks to portray it as a combat, debate, or panel, with Sanjeev Sanyal meant to “counter” his points. “Debate involves two living people – not one person and a video.” 

India Today subsequently deleted the video, and a revised version was aired. The tweaked version was divided into two segments: a 12-minute section featuring Pattanaik’s pre-recorded comments in response to Kanwal’s questions, and an 18-minute segment featuring Sanyal. 

While the new video has omitted references to Pattanaik and his views from Kanwal’s questions to Sanyal, it has retained rebuttals to Pattanaik’s views as it carried the same on-air footage of Sanyal’s participation. 

Newslaundry reached out to Rahul Kanwal for comment. This report will be updated if a response is received.