“Attack” on media

Countrywide emotional and sensitive situation which was created over the statement of Sachin Tendulkar and the harsh comments of bal thackrey on that, was not even calmed down, the shiv sena party workers made their party and their leader again the target of countrywide anger and grief by attacking a TV channel’s office. These attacks were on IBN 7 and IBN Lok Mat centres on Nov 20^th in Mumbai and Pune. Shiv seniks in their traditional way aggressively caused big damage and destroyed tools and stuff. They have beaten staff, scolded them, abused women staff. They had a complain that these two channels were using inappropriate language against their leader bal thackrey continuously since many days. The rowdiness was so brutal that condemning started from all over the country immediately after the news spread about it. The outrage of media was specially worth watching. Shiv sena ally BJP too expressed grief over the events. Moreover Raj Thackrey sena too condemned this violence. Condemning from other political parties too is continued. Bala sahib thackrey is being criticized, in media he is being scrutinized in such a words which never ever had been used for him before.

They do not have right to make noise

This anger against thackreys and shiv senas is valid as their talk and action is as such, but atleast one faction has no right to cry over that and that faction is media. That is because they are the one who make thackreys. And that thing media people do as per their unwritten but agreed upon rule that “Give publicity to those who are emotional, aggressive and give statements based on the hate and hatred and spread their statements where as ignore those who talk sincere and constructive and talk about mutual relations, do not give much importance to them.” 45 years ago when bala sahib thackrey started his politics in mumbai with the statements against south Indian people residing in Mumbai, then Maharashtra ’s marathi and and gujrati press tossed it up very much. Newspaper reporters used to always surround thackrey, each and every word uttered irresponsibly used to be reported, long interviews of thackrey used to be published. When thackrey turned towards muslims in the name of hindutva then this thing became four times over. Then the English press and south Indian regional language newspapers also started publishing in the same chorus and then the south Indians in mumbai took a bit relaxed breath.

Message to the destructive elements

Newspaper by adopting this behaviour indirectly sent a message to the destructive and evil minded elements that speaking with hate and hatred against any group or community is the easiest and best way of gaining popularity. By this an individual not only just gets popular and important but also the government and law get scared to him. Police too fear getting on him. Because the destructive and provoked crowd is his strength and just by an appeal he can gather a crowd. And comes into the position of igniting the fire and blood and the killing and looting business just by one statement. Along with bal and raj thackrey, many other evil leaders newspapers have created in different parts of the country. Then when TV channels along with the newspapers came into this field, they just changed the style of reporting completely. Made this profession completely corrupt. Linguistic, Regional, Cultural, Religious and Communal feelings are being exploited, and that is how today country’s media had become a social evil. But when the dishonest owners, editors and reporters started this all, they never ever have imagined that their own created elements can turn towards them one day. And now when they turned, now these guys are making noise which they have no moral right for. Why not it should be told to them that this is all your deed, now taste it. ?

04/12/09 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Ibrahim Shaikh