Why I sit firmly right-of-centre on media, politics and the economy

He’s an unusual quantity in Indian public life, a man who started out an engineer with Intel; turned entrepreneur and made an epic success of it, and then decided to become an independent politician.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar – telecom pioneer, media investor, and currently Rajya Sabha MP – is articulate, intelligent, informed, and vocally right-of-centre.

And in trademark Rajeev style, with soft-spoken steel, he took on tough questions – starting with his stake in Republic TV, in which he is single largest investor – and why he funds media that fuels hype, hysteria and hate. He argued that his relationship with editors as entrepreneur was to remain an investor and not influence content, but sidestepped questions about the responsibility of proprietors to stand behind sound journalistic process rather than divest responsibility for it.

He was far more forthcoming about his views on nationalism, and drew a cheer from the audience when he said that he doesn’t believe there can or should be a test of any citizen’s nationalism – but he did caveat the statement with a clear dislike for those that seek to criticise the nation simply because they can. Still, it was a hopeful note coming from a self-avowed patriot and nationalist, one that made room – something rarer and rarer – for a dissenting view that wouldn’t be drowned out.

Now if only he could guarantee the same for his TV network.

Watch the full session above.