Narain Pargain and the difficulties of humane journalism

Narain Pargain has been accused of being a symbol of all that is wrong with the Indian middle class, for sitting on the shoulders of a slum dweller in Dehradun while giving a piece to camera. But he has a far simpler explanation for why he is now being held up as a model of what a journalist should not do: the cameraman flubbed the shot. In an excellent interview with Newslaundry, Pargain explains why he doesn’t think the criticism headed his way is fair: 

On the one hand what I did was journalistically wrong, but how it’s being portrayed now on Youtube and Facebook, like a joke, doesn’t feel like it’s fair. Also the report was supposed to be telecast only with footage of me chest-up. This was entirely the cameraman’s fault, who, it seems, almost tried to sabotage my career by shooting from that distance and angle and releasing the video mocking this whole incident, and making me the villain.

The News Express reporter admits that the controversial piece to camera he made may cost him his job, and adds that if it does, it will be entirely the cameraman’s fault. [caption id=“attachment_903889” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A screengrab from Narain Pargain’s viral video.[/caption] With over 17 years of experience in journalism, Pargain admits that it may have been his compassion that may have resulted in the Dehradun resident hoisting him on his shoulder. Seeing a person of “his level” reporting on his plight and aiding him with money and food, the touched flood affected victim had insisted on carrying him across the river, says Pargain. Unfortunately for Pargain, sitting on the shoulder of the giant-hearted man, he thought that was the ideal moment to report on the impact of the floods and thoughtfully even offered Rs 50 to his benefactor after being ferried across. And how we have misunderstood him! For Pargain unbeknownst to us is also aiding the vicitms of the flood and he doesn’t believe in disclosing the names of his beneficiaries. Especially those who carry him across rivers. Pargain also confirmed that he has no problem getting his feet wet, and just has a problem dealing with insistent people who want to ferry him across rivers on their shoulders. For all future news television journalists, Pargain offers three valuable lessons. Always retain your humanity when reporting no matter what level you reach, keep the names of your beneficiaries secret and always, no matter what, make sure your cameraman isn’t out to sabotage your career. Read the whole interview here