Media phobia

Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh is generally considered the United Progressive Alliance government's one of the more media-friendly ministers. So imagine everyone's surprise when he expressed an aversion to journalists at a recent academic meet at Anand, Gujarat. After the event, Ramesh was approached by a boy aged around 12 years for an autograph, which he willingly gave. When the boy sought his blessings, Ramesh told him, "Don't be a journalist." Asked why, by an indignant journalist, he said, only half-jokingly, "Aap log bahut jaan khate ho!" (You people pester a lot!).