Chandigarh, December 26
Today it was the turn of the media to be bowled over by the charm, grace and articulation of Aroosa Alam, a Pakistani journalist, who is in the news because of her friendship with the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Capt Amarinder Singh.

Earlier, it was Aroosa, who, charmed by what she described as “acumen and vision”of Capt Amarinder Singh, had resolved to be his lifelong friend. Aroosa, who as Pakistani woman showed unprecedented courage to face the Indian media on a most controversial issue of her relationship with the former Chief Minister, answered a whole range of questions related to her previous visit to India, regarding Preneet Kaur, wife of Capt Amarinder Singh, her perception about the Indian media and so on.

“Neither I nor Capt Amarinder Singh will change our respective religions as there is no question of our marrying,” she said answering a question. “We are friends and will continue to be so forever,” she asserted. “ A few days ago, I had made a comment in a lighter vein that I would love to marry Capt Amarinder Singh, but my religion does not permit it. However, unfortunately, some people took that comment too seriously to draw a different conclusion from that,” she added.

She had a word of praise for Preneet Kaur. “I have met her in the Moti Bagh Palace in Patiala. She is a very good host,” said Aroosa replying to question in this regard.

There appears to be a purpose behind holding today’s press conference. Aroosa appears to be keen to “deflate” the controversy by speaking to the media in detail in this regard. Obviously by doing so, she was also trying to save Capt Amarinder Singh from political embarrassment in future. The Press Club hall, where she addressed the media, was virtually overflowing with mediapersons. Even those mediapersons who are no more active journalists had turned up to see Aroosa. And some of them were appearing so excited that they were unable to resist the temptation of asking her questions. She virtually floored one or two journalists with her quick-witted replies.

“Earlier I and Capt Amarinder Singh were friends. But now our families are friends. I, accompanied by sons and my sister and some other families, had visited Amarinder Singh earlier also,” she said. However, she did not make any mention of her husband. About her earlier visit to Jaipur, she said there was nothing illegal about that. “I never went to London to meet Capt Amarinder Singh though I visit that place often”, she claimed.

“The ball is now in your court to end this controversy. I think the media in India should respect one’s privacy. In Pakistan,the media do not interfere in the personal lives of politicians and others who matter,” she said. However, on reading what is being published in the media regarding my relationship with Capt Amarinder Singh, I am feeling sad and disappointed over the way the issue is being played up by media here. I am from your community and at least you people should have spared me”.

“At least I should not become a source of entertainment as a news for the media,” she said when asked whether she thought that news in the present era had become more a sort of entertainment than a serious thing.

She disagreed with the point that her friendship with Capt Amarinder Singh would politically damage him. “If that had been the case, several leaders in the world would have been finished politically by now. Neither friendship with a woman makes one’s political career nor mars it,” she asserted. Obviously Capt Amarinder Singh as a political leader is answerable to people, but it does not mean that he cannot have woman as a friend.