This is the headline of the editorial of Hindustan Times (May 3). Sub-head runs like this: Al Qaeda planning revealed in blue films; our beloved jihadis are adapting to the ways of the evil world.” And a gist of the text is: Though it is now one year since Bin Laden was killed, his Al Qaeda is live and active as usual. Bin Laden used to exploit video films to threaten the world and to disseminate his viewpoints. But now his followers are doing this work with blue films. Earlier they kept from liquor and women and this was their distinction. But now they are using these two things so as to not attract any suspicion that they might be jihadi terrorists.... A film based on obscene scenes has been discovered from the possession of jihadis. But on close scrutiny it is clear that Al Qaeda has plans to make 26/11-like attacks on entire Europe and America.... The editorial is based on a news item released by US media which Hindustan Times, like other English dailies, published a day earlier with much fanfare.
One of the dozens of stories
And this story is one of dozens of amusing stories CIA media published on the first “death anniversary” of Osama bin Laden and Indian newspapers and channels flashed on the minds of Indians on great scale (it could not be ascertained what the attitude of media in other countries was in this regard). These interesting stories started making headlines in the last week of April, which continued even after May 2. In some of them sensational revelations were made. “If Bin Laden had not been killed, Al Qaeda attacks would have hit many major cities in many countries including Pakistan.... A few days before his killing Bin Laden had assigned Ilyas Kashmiri the duty of killing Obama. Before the action in Abbottabad on May 2 (last year) many methods were considered. One method considered was to drop bombs on the hideout of Bin Laden.... Now the successor of Bin Laden is Ayman Al Zawahiri, who is in Pakistan and to kill him America can bombard Pakistan because now he is the biggest enemy of America.”
Characterlessness of Indian mediaHere condemnation of US course of action that it is a Satanic super power – it should do whatever it is doing - is not intended; the concern is the characterlessness of Indian media. If Indian TV channels beat the drum of US lies, it is the need of their TRP. If Hindi press and small English newspapers do this, it is their business. But what will you say if a big newspaper like Hindustan Times does the same? Although this paper is also run by a corporate, as a mainstream media it is expected that it would feel ashamed (of publishing such stories) and work with some honesty. But the readers have seen that it is presenting the naked lies of US as “naked truth”. It did not challenge the US story from any angle; treated it as gospel truth. – And the mention here of the meanness of Indian media is because this is the media of the country that is striving for emerging as the world power. – Now it is useless to say something to the Government of India in this regard. However it would be better if the Chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju, who is making effort to better the moral standard of Indian media, pays attention toward it.
One of the dozens of stories
And this story is one of dozens of amusing stories CIA media published on the first “death anniversary” of Osama bin Laden and Indian newspapers and channels flashed on the minds of Indians on great scale (it could not be ascertained what the attitude of media in other countries was in this regard). These interesting stories started making headlines in the last week of April, which continued even after May 2. In some of them sensational revelations were made. “If Bin Laden had not been killed, Al Qaeda attacks would have hit many major cities in many countries including Pakistan.... A few days before his killing Bin Laden had assigned Ilyas Kashmiri the duty of killing Obama. Before the action in Abbottabad on May 2 (last year) many methods were considered. One method considered was to drop bombs on the hideout of Bin Laden.... Now the successor of Bin Laden is Ayman Al Zawahiri, who is in Pakistan and to kill him America can bombard Pakistan because now he is the biggest enemy of America.”
Characterlessness of Indian mediaHere condemnation of US course of action that it is a Satanic super power – it should do whatever it is doing - is not intended; the concern is the characterlessness of Indian media. If Indian TV channels beat the drum of US lies, it is the need of their TRP. If Hindi press and small English newspapers do this, it is their business. But what will you say if a big newspaper like Hindustan Times does the same? Although this paper is also run by a corporate, as a mainstream media it is expected that it would feel ashamed (of publishing such stories) and work with some honesty. But the readers have seen that it is presenting the naked lies of US as “naked truth”. It did not challenge the US story from any angle; treated it as gospel truth. – And the mention here of the meanness of Indian media is because this is the media of the country that is striving for emerging as the world power. – Now it is useless to say something to the Government of India in this regard. However it would be better if the Chairman of Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju, who is making effort to better the moral standard of Indian media, pays attention toward it.
10/05/12 khabar-O-Nazar by Parwaaz Rahmani, sehrozaDAWAT, translated by: Abu Yusuf
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