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Monday, February 15, 2016

Time for media to speak up now By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Time for media to speak up now

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

What happened today at the Patiala House court where Kanhaiya Kumar
was being produced is unprecedented. The lawyers who are supposed to
uphold the constitutional values and people have right to defend them
in the court, manhandled not just students of JNU but also media
persons and teachers of the University. There is not a single word
from the ruling party to condemn it. Instead, its loudspeakers are
shouting down others on their paid media. Mercenary Arnab Goswami is
shouting and shouting out with other mercenaries on his channel to
shut down the university. Well, India is already shut down. Where are
the things happening. You have shut everything. It is time to save
India, protect our constitution. The big looters of the country have
defaulted with the banks. Over one lakh fifty thousand crore have be
defaulted by the big companies and I can bet the amount is much bigger
but corporate agent and sole 'conscious keeper' of the 'nation', will
have no time to discuss it.

If the students have done anything, let the courts decide it and let
people have the right to defend them in the court. At least they have
that constitutional right. Do we want that too not given to the
students or accused. The Sangh must inform whether they would like the
same sedition charges be invoked against the Hindu Mahasabha people
who observed Republic day as black day and do not believe in Indian
constitution.

I dont believe in sedition and have written earlier that this law must
be repealed. India state is powerful enough to deal with all this.
There are many issues which are political and need to be dealt with
politically. There are issues in institutions which can be handled by
the administration inside those institution and not by criminalising
them. If there is anything which need strong measures, let the
administration warn them and if they dont change, file cases against
them. Let the street goons not decide what is good and what is bad. If
we allow people to take law on their hands things would be out of
control very much detrimental to our national unity and integrity. Why
should we allow things to worsen.

It is shameful and disgraceful that lawyers and goons masquerading as
political activists, abused and manhandled women and men inside the
court premises, just because they differ with them ideologically. The
most shocking thing is the fall of media. Well, i can still compliment
many of the print journalists who have been doing great work despite
all the pressure but the biggest failure and shameful behaviour is the
electronic channels. India is at the cross roads and we have to unite
ourself against all fundamentalist forces. Let us not fall in this
brahmanical nationalism trap. It is a well laid trap keeping in mind
the Assam elections where they want to experiment things for Bengal
and later for UP. It is time to ignore smaller difference and fight
this battle politically. The idea of India is a secular idea. India
for all. An inclusive India which give fair chance to all the people
including those who we disagree to express their views and if they
violate our constitution let the law of the land take its course. Let
us not learn patriotism and nationalism from those who sided with
British and apologised from not just British but from Indira Gandhi in
emergency.

There is an attempt to discredit our institutions and then privatise
the education which they have already done. It is a much bigger game.
Times of India has already got huge space by UP government to build
Bennet University and it will be very much interested in discrediting
JNU and that is why Arnab and his gangs are up in arm against the
institution. Shameful and pathetically low piece of journalism.
Absolutely yellow journalism.

It is time for media bodies to draw a clear guidelines for the
electronic media. We know it does not have any control as most of the
anchors are not really journalists but future netas and middlemen.
They are looking beyond their retirement and hence clearly taking a
political line which is deeply distressing. The way things are being
distorted and media trial are being conducted is highly unethical and
our courts too need to see it.

It is time for people's body to do media trial and expose these
loudspeakers. We hope alternative voices in the media will do it. We
hope the friends in print and those who have access to bigger space
will write about this yellow journalism which Arnab Gowsami has
unleashed on this nation. It is time for media to come clean and
expose the Times of India brand and its attempt to discredit
institutions. There is no media unity. When Times now can ignore the
attack on media it means clear that they dont have any value for any
one except their masters.

In any media debate the fair thing would be invite leaders from all
the political parties but what is happening today is three people in
different shade from one political organisations in most of the
channels. There will be an RSS vicharak, a BJP spokes person, some
time another one from VHP and ABVP. It is clear that all these
channels are heavily paid to twist and distort news but they remain
absolutely biased and prejudiced.

Media is owned by different business houses. We dont mind people
owning different business but let them allow free flowing ideas inside
their spaces. We know that despite all those factors we had wonderful
editors who stood for people and challenged emergency. The beauty of
1977 was that media stood against emergency and they were almost
united. But sadly today those who claim to uphold free speech have
been exposed. Yes, Times of india want its freedom to print personal
nude photographs of film stars in the name of free speech and freedom
but not allow students to disagree on political issues. How has the
Times Management allowed Times Now to spread lies in the name of
nationalism. When goons are beating people in the street, taking law
on their hand, beating media people inside the courts, country's top
channel remain quiet and indulge in sansationalism and distortion.

Will our friends in media speak up now ?


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