By Anusha Majumdar
Note: the purpose of this blog is not to fire communal hatred or make communities looks bad, it is only to bring out the media bias and agenda behind whatever you read/see.
The four pillars of any democracy are the legislature, the executive, the judiciary and the press. Take one of them away and the structure tilts. Media especially plays a crucial role in this. It is the sword arm of democracy. It acts as a watchdog to protect the public interest against malpractice and creates public awareness.
But the sword seems to be getting blunter by the day. Why is this so?
ASTOUNDING AND OUTRAGEOUS CASES OF MEDIA BIAS
“Eid- e- Milad Triggers Rioting Against Hindus in Dhulagarh, West Bengal” read the news of a not-so-prominent digital media outlet. This news item hasn’t caught the attention of most of the major media houses across the country. This made me question as to “Why did such a huge communal riot event go unreported on a wide scale?”
Digging deeper, I started reasoning the cause for this. And the logical outcome of it is a troubling conclusion of the prejudice exhibited by the Indian media.
What exactly happened?
Dhulagarh, a small industrial and business hub in Howrah district, was a scene of chaotic mayhem on 13 and 14 December 2016. A group of Muslims was carrying out a celebratory procession, playing loud DJ music. When the local Hindus who were carrying out a pooja for Margashirsha Poornima, objected to this, a large Muslim gang soon gathered and looted Hindu shops and houses, setting them on fire and sparking a religious riot. Dozens of Hindu homes were burnt and destroyed.
The mainstream media reported the events sparsely and made light of the whole affair. But as the happenings spread in the social media, the major news media houses started covering the issue. This shows something fishy has happened in the aftermath of the riots.
WHY THE SECRECY OR SELECTIVE PUBLISHING?
Following the Dhulagarh incident, there was a total media blackout and Mamata Banerjee denied it stating that it was a “small incident” and a “local problem”. She kept it under wraps and the media too didn’t seem it fit to report the incidents in a disinterested light.
As we deliberate deeply, we can see that the obvious reason would be MINORITY APPEASEMENT. Mamata Banerjee wanted to assuage/appease the Muslim minority as they all vote en bloc for the elections. And the media houses played along with her wily strategy.
Are the media houses forgetting their fundamental duty?
ISN’T THE MEDIA MAKING MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS?
The biased and selective reporting of events can be seen more clearly by looking at the Dadri mob lynching incident.
“Mohammed Ikhlaq beaten to death by mob after rumors circulate that he had eaten beef” – India Today
Doesn’t this headline seem frivolous and funny? And does it require country-wide attention?
What exactly triggered this event?
On September 28th 2015, a Hindu mob attacked the home of Mohammed Ikhlaq Saifi – a Muslim in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. He was accused of stealing and slaughtering his neighbor’s calf. A crowd gathered and insisted on searching Ikhlaq’s house for traces of slaughter. Soon, things turned ugly when the Ikhlaq denied the allegations. The mob dragged the entire family outside and Ikhlaq and his son were REPEATEDLY kicked, hit with bricks and stabbed..
This piece of item received more coverage and popularity than required.
Why create a huge ruckus about a mob lynching which involves reasons as trivial as stocking up beef in one’s own refrigerator?!
THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION OF THESE ABOVE INSTANCES IS….
There seems to be an unwritten rule in media… If one from a majority community physically or verbally attacks one from the minority, splash it as a headline! Publish articles, broadcast debates and make it the news of the prime-time. BUT if one from minority community does the same to the majority community, ignore it!
And, this is not it.
Displaying any information in an obtuse light is the misrepresentation of the issue. It’s high time our media houses start introspecting themselves and decide where their best interests lie. After all, If not from the media, where else could we, the people get an impartial view of the major issues? A major filter and serious revision are needed!
Image Credits: Google Images
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