On the morning of 7th April, Jarnail Singh, a senior defence journalist with the Hindi daily, Dainik Jagran, was at the Congress headquarters in Delhi. The Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, was addressing the media.
When it was his turn to question the home minister, Jarnail Singh wanted to know how Congress leader Jagdish Tytler had been given a clean chit by the CBI in cases pertaining to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The home minister tried to evade the question, which apparently provoked Jarnail and he flung his shoe at Chidambram, saying "I protest".
But Jarnail Singh's colleagues and fellow journalists say that this was totally uncharacteristic. A veteran of almost two decades, Jarnail Singh is presently covering the defence ministry and the Congress party. He had earlier covered the HRD ministry, home ministry as well as the environment ministry. Those who know him say that Jarnail is a sober, seasoned and balanced journalist.
His friends say that in his personal life too, he is very disciplined. He does not drink or smoke and is an out and out family guy. Deeply religious, he is married and has a son.
Obviously anguished by the CBI clean chit to Jagdish Tylter, it is apparent that Jarnail Singh could not control his emotions when Chidambaram refused to respond directly to his query. After the police released Jarnail Singh later, he expressed regret over his "emotional outburst".
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