Not taking questions: Should Modi have avoided the presser instead

Having been criticised for not addressing a single press conference in his five-year tenure, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Friday's interaction came as a surprise to many.

Turning up unexpectedly at the press conference Modi made the opening remarks but consistently redirected questions at him to the BJP chief, stating that he was a "disciplined soldier of the party" and "the party president was everything to us", giving the opposition fresh ammo to intensify the attack.

Unlike demonetisation and India's shooting down a satellite, there was no nail-biting wait for Modi to appear on TV. Instead, Modi just casually sat beside BJP president Amit Shah like this was an everyday affair and not something so rare that newsrooms around the country were waiting with bated breath, waiting to see if he would speak or not.

Those who watched the presss conference, wondered why the prime minister did not take questions, when he can't do it, why did he go for one. He would have just avoided the press conference. Trolling Modi many even called it a pres appearance raher than a conferance.

That was a grand display of silence of a man who spoke endlessly in thousands of rallies and scripted interactions being aired on television as extempore and charming.

A Prime Minister who answers no questions and a supine press corps that barely dares to ask him anything are together two of the most obvious representations of the past five years you could have asked for.

The image of Modi sitting silently as Amit Shah fielded questions that he should be answering...what does that say? Modi was not elected for his silence. There was no need to lower the dignity of the office of the Prime Minister just to prove a point.

What's your take on Modi's first ever press conference? Please comment below