A bigger shame for us in India: Media in Pakistan has often shown extraordinary gumption in showing truth to military power

By Anand K Sahay*
It is instructive to run a comparison between the American media in the time of adversity and our so-called independent news platforms- both print and television. (Not counting FM stations, by way of radio we have only the All India Radio, a government outlet and it won’t be fair to expect it to play anything other than a partisan role on the government’s side.)
We seem to fare so poorly by comparison that it is hard to believe that some of the leading media companies of the country are a part of the equation of democracy, in which the media is meant to report not just truthfully but also the meaningful truth- the truth that matters by presenting facts obtained with due care for accuracy in a way that ordinary readers and viewers -- in other words, ordinary citizens -- may discern the reality on the ground and be enabled to make intelligent social, political and economic choices based on the information provided by the media.
Alas, we are a long way from that elementary goal, from that basic expectation from a free press in a democracy. Indeed, the Indian media has soiled its copybook by its abject failure to report and analyse the times we live in with any sense of gravity, or responsibility to the reader/viewer, which means accurate reporting of what is significant and careful analysis and responsible comments.
In the name of reporting, the name of the game is unbridled partisanship in favour of those in power. The daily flavour of reporting has been reduced to the syndrome of “war-palat war”, to use the Hindi expression so much in use now, meaning “attack-counter-attack”- a reference to the meaningless jibes and counter-jibes of politicians and religious hypocrites-turned politicians that fill the pages of our newspapers.
Seldom does the media bother going behind the war of words that offer nothing more than low-level entertainment -- usually in the form of a play on words or a reference to mythology -- on an everyday basis. In other words, as consumers of media we are kept in a state of being sheltered from the truth. This is exactly what the rulers would like. That makes the daily production of news a command performance, roughly speaking.
This wasn’t always the case. Our journalists, on the whole, are responsible professionals, and the record shows this. Also, our bigger news companies are not short on resources and are in a position to offer quality reporting and analyses. But what’s gone completely missing in the Modi era is spine. There is no backbone to speak of in our newspapers and news television, especially the latter.
A recent example highlights this. A web-based respected current affairs platform wrote an analytical story based on official documents to express surprise -- and without levelling any allegation -- that BJP president Amit Shah’s son’s defunct business suddenly showed its turnover had grown 16,000 times in the period that Mr. Modi has been Prime Minister.
The story caused a sensation. There was nothing to challenge on facts as the whole case rested on official data. Yet, the petty trader in question had the temerity to file a criminal and a civil defamation case for Rs. 100 crore against the editors of the media company and the journalist who broke the remarkable story. This was evidently done to frighten others in the media and ensure that they do not pick up the story and do any further investigation or analysis.
Our media blacked out the story and subsequently reported only that the BJP president’s son had filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against some journalists. That was it. No one bothered to report why Union ministers had jumped to a small trader’s defence and called the news about him “false, baseless, malicious” without revealing the basis for saying so. No one saw fit to link threads and report why the Additional Solicitor-General of India was given special permission to defend the unheard of trader in court.
Luckily, the BJP and the Modi government couldn’t control social media and the story got out anyway. The Press Club of India also organised a discussion to which the judicial luminary Fali S. Nariman, who was unable to attend, sent a message in which he observed, “Any support extended by a political party in power to a private person’s defamation suit against another private person (of any profession or calling) is condemnable and must be condemned.”
He called the story-break and the defamation suit a matter of “significant public interest”. This is another way of saying that a defamation suit has no leg to stand on if the judiciary guards its independence. Presiding over the discussion, the present writer expressed keenness to know from the government how many other traders in agriculture commodities (besides Mr. Shah’s son) had seen their turnover increase as astronomically as the BJP chief’s offspring had.
Really, there are no answers to such issues, except bare-faced silence. Yet, our media was not moved. In fact, the principal culprit among news channels, which runs a lot of discussions every single day in praise of the government and the ruling party and -- more significantly -- with the aim of attacking the BJP’s political opponents, completely blacked out the story. Out of fear apparently, or under instruction from the rulers, the channel in question did not even report the filing of the defamation suit, lest the matter spin out of control in a discussion.
Once BJP’s most important leader who now mans the sidelines, Lal Krishna Advani, had said scathingly, referring to the days of the Emergency, that the media was asked to bend but it chose to crawl. Today, there is no fiat for the media to bend, but leading sections of it crawl anyway. They know how to read the wind.
The irony is they do not even notice that they have long stopped living by any journalistic ethic or standard. It is in this respect that our US counterparts have demonstrated that they have stood up to power boldly and entirely on the basis of the work they put out with professional thoroughness and accuracy day after day. Their work has truly stood out in bleak times.
A bigger shame for us in India -- the media in Pakistan, which has been a military dictatorship for the most part, has from time to time shown extraordinary gumption in showing truth to military power. It pays the price for doing so but has not flinched from its professional obligation. Journalists are kidnapped and tortured or killed on a fairly regular basis. We should summon the humility to salute their courage instead of going on and on about being a free press in the world’s largest democracy.
No one in America thought Donald Trump was winning the presidential race and the US media too got it wrong. This seemed to give President Trump the licence, as it were, to treat the media as an adversary to be hounded, just like he treated the Democratic Party, especially Hillary Clinton, his rival for the presidency. From day one, descending to the level of the street in his abusive style, he began to accuse the media of presenting what he falsely called “fake news”, an expression made so common by him that it has recently made it to the Oxford English Dictionary.
The president threatened to have journalists with some leading US publications and television stations jailed. But the American press and television did not give one inch. Let alone flinch, they did not let a day go by without analysing the significant political and policy actions of the government and showed the US leader to be a megalomaniac who is giving the needy in his country a bad deal while warming the hearts of big business, and is making war-like noises on a regular basis, threatening international peace and stability.
In contrast, the Indian media sidles up to the rulers. We may only guess at the reasons. Has the government quietly threatened them with unravelling any irregularities they may be guilty of? Or, do they genuinely love the government and all its failures and are ready to accept at face value any spin the government puts on its pet schemes and projects which are causing misery and despair to the country?
We should look ourselves in the mirror and ask: Are we courtiers and court-jesters, or do we take rightful pride in being journalists and stand with the people of India by giving them the truth, and not the convenient truth?
---
*Senior journalist and commentator, former president of the Press Club of India

Comments

Tracing roots of Hindutva Zionism: cannon fodder for 'warped' nationalist pretensions

By Shamsul Islam* Those who believe in a world free of hegemonic ethno-nationalism, racism, religious bigotry and hatred have rightly taken note of Zionism and its ally Christian Zionism, major perpetrators of ethnic cleansing of ‘Others’. However, the civilized world with its core belief in multi-culturalism and peaceful co-existence is oblivious to a no less dangerous threat to the present human civilization: the Hindutva Zionism. As the term reads it is part of the Hindutva world-view which stands for an exclusive Hindu India minus Muslims and Christians. The other religions like Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism will have no independent status but treated as part of Hinduism. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS; National Volunteer Organization) is the most prominent flag-bearer of the Hindutva politics whose cadres presently rule India, the largest democracy in the world. RSS was founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (1889-1940) in 1925 who was disillusioned with the Indian freedom st

'Blatant violation' of law by Central government in making NREGA payments

By Our Representative In September third week, NREGA workers across the country were mobilised for two day so raise their issues and submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister. Organised the NREGA Sangharsh Morcha (NSM), a collective of groups that work with NREGA labourers across the country, workers from 13 states -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal -- carried out Kaam Do Abhiyaan, staging demonstrations and rallies against what they called blatant violation of law by the Central government in making NREGA payments. While NREGA has had very positive impacts, it has lately become fruitless, exploiting labour, even though workers who have put in honest hard work have to wait for their wages endlessly, it was suggested. In such a situation, there is a need to firm up NREGA implementation and end systematic corruption to ensure that workers get their basic NREGA entit

Shocking? No Covid vaccine trials conducted on pregnant, lactating women: RTI reply

By Rosamma Thomas* A Right to Information applicant who sought details of safety trials conducted in India on pregnant and lactating women for three Covid vaccines in use in India – Covishield, Covaxin and ZyCov-D -- was shocked to learn from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) that Serum Institute, manufacturer of Covishield, and Cadila Healthcare, manufacturer of the ZyCov-D vaccine, had not sought permission for such trials. Bharat Biotech, manufacturer of Covaxin, had sought permission for trial on pregnant women and later withdrawn its application. This response , provided after the applicant was initially unsatisfied with the response and went in appeal, is from the joint drugs controller, CDSCO. It was dated September 13, 2022. One researcher closely following the vaccine rollout, however, is of the opinion that the lack of a trial on pregnant and lactating women is a blessing; potential trial participants and their unborn babies thus escaped harm. Aruna Ro

Fascism on prowl? Religious meet 'deeply pained' at silence of Church, bishops, priests

Counterview Desk The ‘Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace’which held its 17th National Convention at the Montfort Social Institute, Hyderabad, Telangana from 22 to 24 September 2022 on the theme “Deepening our Identity as Religious: Responding to the Signs of the Times”, has expressed concern “at the deteriorating situation of our nation on every front”, especially stating, “Fascism seems to have come to stay” in India. At the same time, the convention, which took place with the participation of 60 persons from 16 states representing 20 religious congregations, in its unanimously-adopted statement added, “We have reached abysmal depths on every parameter: be it social, economic and political”, underlining, “The poor in India become poorer every day; the rich and powerful continue to profiteer at their expense and amass scandalous amounts of wealth.” Text: We, members (63 women and men Religious, from 16 states representing 20 Congregations) of the Forum of Religious for Justice

Rajasthan cops 'halt' Gujarat Dalit women's rally: homage to untouchability victim boy

By Our Representative In a surprise move, the Rajasthan police stopped a Dalit women's rally from Gujarat on the borders after it crossed Gujarat alleging that it would "disturb peace" in village Surana, Jalore district, where the gruesome incident of death of a Dalit boy took place on August 13 after he was brutally beaten up by his teacher on touching the drinking water pot. Sources said, while the Gujarat government had "no objection" in allowing the rally, which originated from the Dalit Shakti Kendra (DSK), an empowerment-cut-technical institute for teens founded by human rights leader Martin Macwan, on September 24 morning, the Rajasthan police stopped it for two and a half hours before allowing it to proceed to Surana. The decision to take out a women's rally was taken at a DSK meeting on September 5 following a condolence meeting of the NGO Navsarjan Trust, also founded by Macwan, activists committed to work against caste-based discrimination, orga

Introducing non-native cheetahs is 'not equivalent' to restoring pride in the nation

By Bappaditya Mukhopadhyay* The Cheetahs from the African continent has finally been introduced to India by the Indian Prime Minister on his 72nd birthday. The process had started with the previous Government in 2009. However, the Supreme Court clearance was pending owing to the objection by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) plea to reintroduce cheetahs. Finally the clearance was obtained in January 2020 and thereafter Kuno National Park (KNP) was chosen for the reintroduction of first set of Southeast African Cheetahs. In the near future, depending upon the success story of the current reintroduction, more cheetahs from South Africa may also be introduced. This exercise has generated a lot of interest among various stakeholders with opinions on both sides galore. It is important to pose some questions that surround the whole exercise. Let us evaluate some of these arguments. The first set of arguments are quite detached from the issues of conservation as they most

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Military diplomacy': US praises Bangladesh Army for leadership role in UN operations

By Kamal Uddin Mazumder* As the Indo-Pacific region represents the world’s economic and strategic center of gravity, the Indian Ocean today is becoming the centerpiece of all geo-strategic play. Cooperation in the region is crucial to implementing the international community’s global agenda, including achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Major powers like the US have enhanced and deepened their strategic engagement and leadership roles with countries in the region. The Indo-Pacific Army Management Seminar, or IPAMS, is a U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) initiated conference that is aimed at facilitating and enhancing interactions among the armies of the Indo-Pacific region. This year's 46th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS)-2022, co-hosted by the Bangladesh Army and US Army Pacific (USARPAC), concluded in Dhaka. The objective of IPAMS is to promote peace and stability in the region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship. It is the largest confer

Grave error? Scholar blames ex-Gujarat babu for anti-Christian riots 'citing fake report'

By Rajiv Shah A few days back, I received a message from one of the finest former Gujarat government bureaucrats, PG Ramrakhiani, a 1964 batch IAS official, who retired in November 2000. I would often interact with him in 1997-99, even later, after I was sent to Gandhinagar as a Times of India man to cover Sachivalaya. Those were turbulent times. Shankarsinh Vaghela was the Gujarat chief minister, under attack from two sides – from the BJP, which he had left to form a separate breakaway party, Rashtriya Janata Party (RJP), one one hand, and the Congress, which was supporting him from outside, on the other. Ramrakhiani, in his message, referred to the book authored by Ghanshyam Shah and Jan Breman, both top-notch scholars who have known Gujarat in and out. Called “Gujarat, Cradle and Harbinger of Identity Politics: India’s Injurious Frame of Communalism”, I reviewed the book in January 2022. It claims that Muslims in Gujarat have been turned into “new untouchables”, thanks to the Hin

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Counterview

Search This Blog