Renowned educator and newly inducted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Avadh Ojha responded on Friday to criticism surrounding his recent interview with BBC Hindi. The interview, which ended abruptly after Ojha was asked challenging questions, sparked a heated debate online.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Ojha described the incident as unfortunate and acknowledged that the decision by a party worker to interrupt the journalist mid-discussion was inappropriate. “What kind of teacher doesn’t answer questions? Yesterday, I had an excellent interview with BBC. Be sure to watch it. Unfortunately, during the interview, one of our volunteers unknowingly interrupted the journalist, which was absolutely inappropriate,” Ojha wrote in Hindi.
The man who always danced on the 'Freedom of Speech' topic. pic.twitter.com/c6jwv5UaJf
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) December 5, 2024
Despite the backlash, Ojha defended the volunteer, terming the action an honest mistake. “Some people are calling for him to be punished or dismissed. However, I believe punishing him is not appropriate, as it was an honest mistake made in the heat of the moment,” Ojha stated, reiterating his commitment to addressing any queries as a teacher. “Questions are my source of energy.”
He concluded his message with a note of camaraderie: “And don’t forget—Hamesha Dosti Bani Rahe (may our friendship always remain strong)!”
The controversy erupted when a clip from the interview surfaced on social media on Thursday. The video shows the interaction being abruptly halted by party workers after BBC Hindi reporter Anshul Singh posed a pointed question to Ojha. Singh asked whether Ojha would continue to praise leaders like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, despite his new political alignment. Ojha began his response by saying, “Acknowledging someone’s merits reflects a positive attitude,” likening it to sportsmanship, where even rivals like cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara recognize each other.
