Why is media so preoccupied with glorifying corrupted political criminals in trial?

By Harasankar Adhikari
Now, the state of West Bengal is a lying-in room for corruption and criminals, which are unfortunately sponsored by the state. These special acts of corruption and criminalism are alleged to be the work of political cadres of the ruling Trinamool Congress. Rampant corruptions and hooliganisms in every sphere of administrative affairs and even in private affairs are under trial in the honorable High Court of Calcutta, and the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation are investigating. But it is an unnecessarily delayed process.
These scams include cheat funds, school jobs, cattle scams, coal scams, and so forth. One party cadre named Mr. Anibrata Mondal, aka Kesto, is allegedly getting the top advantage from the ruling TMC and its administration. He is the district president of the Birbhum TMC. He is popular for his political talk and threats to the opposition. He is a good organizer because he directs the administration (police and civil) according to his own will. He is popular because of his threatening politics.
He was arrested by ED for his involvement in the cattle and coal scams, and he is the mastermind behind both. He siphoned a huge amount of money, and he makes huge properties (movable and immovable), which do not support his annual income. Investigating agencies are trying to reach reality. But the state government uses hide and seek and tries to protect him with unwanted benefits, even in jail custody. The TMC Supreme is calling him the brave man of Birbhum, and one colleague of her cabinet honours him as a "tiger." So, corruption is allowed by the TMC as it is a constitutional right for the cadres of this party. As if this party comes to have the power to organise corruption and commit crimes against non-supporters.
From the very first day of his arrest, the investigating agency has demanded that he be found to be misleading and non-cooperative in this matter. So, this agency appeals to the judiciary at the state and central levels. After a lengthy wait, he is permitted to travel to Delhi to the investigating agency's central office. This is also dramatic. The state policy was unable to produce him to the appropriate authorities, and the judiciary was further ordered to provide security.
Finally, he reached New Delhi from Asansol Special Correctional Home via Kolkata. All the electronic media in West Bengal are involved in the live broadcast of the matter all day long to glorify a criminal on trial. The media is celebrating the matter for its high TRP.
Is it an act or responsibility of the media houses or channels? What messages are passing through it to the children and young? A criminal is getting priority for his corruption and anti-people acts. Will they not learn to be corrupt and criminal? The media should be more morally sincere in their every gesture. People, especially children and the young, would be inspired by this kind of publicity.
The media and their coverage conferred heroic status on a corrupted and criminal. So, corruption is brave work and getting national attention in the media. Has the media reported no other news or breaking news? Where is the media to cover people's daily struggles? Where is the media to publicize and recognize the artist, scientist, or other creative work? Only TRP-catching news coverage is the purpose. Media is also politicized unfortunately.

Comments

Countrywide protest by gig workers puts spotlight on algorithmic exploitation

By A Representative A nationwide protest led largely by women gig and platform workers was held across several states on February 3, with the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) claiming the mobilisation as a success and a strong assertion of workers’ rights against what it described as widespread exploitation by digital platform companies. Demonstrations took place in Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other states, covering major cities including New Delhi, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai, along with multiple districts across the country.

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.

Budget 2026 focuses on pharma and medical tourism, overlooks public health needs: JSAI

By A Representative Jan Swasthya Abhiyan India (JSAI) has criticised the Union Budget 2026, stating that it overlooks core public health needs while prioritising the pharmaceutical industry, private healthcare, medical tourism, public-private partnerships, and exports related to AYUSH systems. In a press note issued from New Delhi, the public health network said that primary healthcare services and public health infrastructure continue to remain underfunded despite repeated policy assurances.

'Gandhi Talks': Cinema that dares to be quiet, where music, image and silence speak

By Vikas Meshram In today’s digital age, where reels and short videos dominate attention spans, watching a silent film for over two hours feels almost like an act of resistance. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, “Gandhi Talks” is a bold cinematic experiment that turns silence into language and wordlessness into a powerful storytelling device. The film is not mere entertainment; it is an experience that pushes the viewer inward, compelling reflection on life, values, and society.

When compassion turns lethal: Euthanasia and the fear of becoming a burden

By Deepika A 55-year-old acquaintance passed away recently after a long battle with cancer. Why so many people are dying relatively young is a question being raised in several forums, and that debate is best reserved for another day. This individual was kept on a ventilator for nearly five months, after which the doctors and the family finally decided to let go. The cost of keeping a person on life support for such extended periods is enormous. Yet families continue to spend vast sums even when the chances of survival are minimal. Life, we are told, is precious, and nature itself strives to protect and sustain it.

Report exposes human rights gaps in India's $36 billion garment export industry

By Jag Jivan A new report sheds light on the urgent human rights challenges within India’s vast textile and garment industry, as global regulations increasingly demand corporate accountability in supply chains. Titled “Beneath the Seams,” the study reveals that despite the sector employing over 45 million people, systemic issues of poverty wages, unfair purchasing practices, and the exclusion of workers from decision-making persist, leaving millions vulnerable.

When resistance became administrative: How I learned to stop romanticising the labour movement

By Rohit Chauhan* On my first day at a labour rights NGO, I was given a monthly sales target: sixty memberships. Not sixty workers to organise, not sixty conversations about exploitation, not sixty political discussions. Sixty conversions. I remember staring at the whiteboard, wondering whether I had mistakenly walked into a multi-level marketing office instead of a trade union. The language was corporate, the urgency managerial, and the tone unmistakably transactional. It was my formal introduction to a strange truth I would slowly learn: in contemporary India, even rebellion runs on performance metrics.

Silencing the university: How fear is replacing debate in academic India

By Sunil Kyumar* “Republic Day is a powerful symbol of our freedom, Constitution, and democratic values. This festival gives us renewed energy and inspiration to move forward together with the resolve of nation-building”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 26, 2026. On this occasion, the Prime Minister also shared a Sanskrit subhashita— “Paratantryābhibhūtasya deśasyābhyudayaḥ kutaḥ. Ataḥ svātantryamāptavyaṁ aikyaṁ svātantryasādhanam.”

Harsh Mander moves police over Assam CM’s remarks on Bengali-speaking Muslims

By A Representative Peace and justice worker and writer Harsh Mander has filed a police complaint against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over public statements made on January 27 at an official event in Digboi, Tinsukia district, alleging that the remarks promote hatred, harassment and discrimination against Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam.

Search This Blog