Palki Sharma is an unbiased reporter and news anchor who enjoys a vast fanbase, both in India and abroad. She talks of tough topics that are important to the nation and the world. Under her influence, Firstpost has become the fastest-growing news network that brings unique and impactful information to the screens its loyal viewers.
Three days ago, News Icon Palki Sharma made a 6 minute documentary on Firstpost Vantage. In this video she talks of cockroaches!!! Yes, you read it right, the topic is pests. However, what seems like an unusual topic at first glance, is a ‘pest control’ video of the best kind!! Amid the hectic reporting on Bharat’s election cycle and two ongoing wars, Palki Sharma took 6 minutes to send a subtle message to her audience. The intelligent and insightful viewers quickly deciphered the subtext: Sharma was trolling the notorious YouTuber, Dhruv Rathee, often referred to as the “German Shepherd.” Let’s explore!!
Palki Sharma and The German Cockroach Analogy
In her six-minute video, Palki Sharma talks about cockroaches and their growing menace in lives of the common people. Right when the report gets confusing, she specifically focuses on the German Cockroach. Thereafter, she explains that despite its name, this breed of German Cockroach hails its roots from Southeast Asia. Then, Sharma details about its growing pest value, implying that German Cockroaches may be the biggest pest issue in the world!
Lastly, she mentions methods to handle pests like German cockroaches!
She advises her viewers to stay calm, avoid panic, and even try being sociable towards the roaches.
The video sank into the waters of the internet silently till yesterday. But today, the message finally hit home! Netizens are abuzz with laughter, as the cockroach data and imagery cleverly mask the true target of Palki Sharma’s viral video.
No Dhruv Rathee was harmed in this video! “German Cockroach” ☠️🤣 pic.twitter.com/dP6PR0ztNH
— Nandini Idnani 🚩🇮🇳 (@nandiniidnani69) May 27, 2024
The underlying message became evident to many: Palki Sharma was making a parallel between the tenacious and invasive nature of cockroaches and truth twister extraordinaire – Dhruv Rathee. Mr. Rathee, an Indian YouTuber based in Germany, has gained notoriety for his controversial videos. Infojunkies and critics argue on how often his videos present skewed and misleading narratives. Commonly referred to as the “German Shepherd,” Rathee’s relentless pursuit of sensationalism has earned him the epiteth of Soros Toolkit’s Prince of Half-Truths!! His constant griping about media censorship and dictatorship under PM Modi are contradictory in themselves. However, his rabid fanbase is making this influencer a menace that must be countered. Thereby, making Dhruv Rathee a fitting subject for Sharma’s crafty commentary.
Dhruv Rathee: The Viral Menace
Dhruv Rathee is well known for his “truth-twisting” videos. He frequently finds himself at odds with fact-checkers who expose his selective presentation of facts. Sometimes he even gets called up for presenting fake facts, for example – his Secular Shivaji Maharaj video! Despite his cries of dictatorship and media censorship in Bharat, Rathee faces no restrictions from the Union government.
Currently, Rathee is visiting India during the election season.
Here he releases daily videos or Twitter bytes filled with his usual mix of half-truths and sensationalism.
Dhruv Rathee has launched
Mission 100 Crore to destroy
The WhatsApp mafia.#DhruvRathee#mission100crore pic.twitter.com/3AowkkrErm— Mr. R Gandhi 🇮🇳 (@Mr_RGandhi) April 24, 2024
Dhruv Rathee is amassing an army of zombies from among the youth of India. Most of them are part of his ambitious WhatsApp group project – ‘Mission 100 Crores’. Rathee talks of BJP’s fake news content is circulated through WhatsApp. All the while he is busy developing a huge network on WhatsApp to disseminate his version of truth-twisting! His latest controversy involves a Polish YouTuber named Karolina Goswami. Goswami has debunked his claims on her social media with hard facts that reveal the true face of Soros-employed Toolkit Rathee. Unfortunately, this only led to receiving death threats from his zombie followers. His video on AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal’s incident also resulted in similar threats for Swati from his army of zombies. These incidents underscore the menace Dhruv Rathee and his zombie followers are becoming to sane Indians!
Palki Sharma’s Subtle Masterstroke
No Dhruv Rathee was harmed in this video! “German Cockroach” ☠️🤣
If Trolling is an Art Palki Sharma is Picasso of it 🔥😂 pic.twitter.com/1epLwCHczq
— Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce) May 27, 2024
Thus, in light of recent undercurrents on social media, Palki Sharma’s video on German Cockroaches is a masterclass in subtlety and wit. By never mentioning Dhruv Rathee directly, she leaves it to her intelligent audience to connect the dots. It also leaves Rathee without any means to counter her publicly!
As viewers tag Rathee in the comments of the video, it’s clear that Palki Sharma has rebranded him from the “German Shepherd” to the “German Cockroach.”
This clever piece of journalism not only trolls Rathee effectively but also showcases Sharma’s ability to deliver biting social commentary with finesse.
Dhruv Rathee is not a German Shepherd but German Cockroach 🪳
Thank you, @palkisu for revealing this! 😄 pic.twitter.com/K9NtZ1TClZ
— 卂乇 ॐ (@imAlter_Ego) May 27, 2024
In an age where sensationalism often overshadows substance, Palki Sharma’s nuanced approach stands out. Her video on German Cockroaches is a reminder to stay calm. Moreover, it shows that sometimes the best way to address a ‘pest’ or ‘menace’ is with a well-aimed dose of humor and intellect! ‘Hats Off To You Ma’am’, for this masterclass in intelligent trolling!!!