Indian news channels are perhaps the most entertaining channels to watch. These news channels have all the elements that make up a super hit Bollywood thriller incorporated in its broadcast. It has everything from comedy to drama to action to political propaganda. It even has advertisements and war rhetoric but what is missing is the reporting of the facts, something that is known as real news.
These news channels focus more on TV soaps, dance shows, Bollywood gossip, paranormal activities like haunting ghosts. From the jarring noise of pseudo analysts, furious debates (where most anchors seem to forget that the first rule of a good debater is to listen as they hardly give a chance to others to speak and put across their viewpoints), everything is reported by these channels except atrocities on humans. The irony is that the same media which even finds the saas bahu sagas worth reporting conveniently turns a blind eye towards the plight of eight million Kashmiris.
60 days of curfew, 72 days of continuous protests, 86 deaths, more than 13000 injuries, some 800 turned blind and maimed, thousands jailed, night raids, wailing mothers, worried fathers, angry brothers, fearful sisters, anxious children, internet blockade, snapping of cellular networks, political chocking- yet this extreme suppression seems not worth to be reported by the Indian prime time news. Although these channels vehemently debate the ‘Kashmir Issue’ from time to time but that is done not for the sake of understanding the issue or out of empathy for the Kashmiris but with an objective to mislead the common people of India into believing that whatever is happening in Kashmir is sponsored by Pakistan and all those talking about the rights of Kashmiris are enemies, traitors and anti-nationalists. Most of the so called patriotic and nationalistic Indian news channels either go for selective, biased and pro-government reporting of the events in Kashmir or tend to ignore Kashmir completely. Any debate or discussion regarding Kashmir by the Indian media only serves to further deepen the hatred for the oppressed Kashmiris rather than to enlighten and inform the masses about the turmoil and unrest in Kashmir.
The debates are conducted in such a manner that the viewer feels as if an ‘on air’ war is being fought in the newsroom and the only objective of this war is to humiliate, defeat and destroy the self-image of the opponent. Most of the anchors on Indian news channels refuse to listen to any dissenting voice on Kashmir. To disregard and destroy the viewpoints of their opponents, they adopt a well-defined strategy. First of all, more than adequate number of panellists are invited and the number is always tilted towards those who can be called as hard core Indian nationalists. Secondly, the news anchors conducting the debates tend to ask ‘loaded questions’ to the panellists in order portray the show as they want it to be perceived by the viewers.
Interestingly the panellists discussing Kashmir are mostly non-Kashmiris, often retired army generals. Even if by chance a Kashmiri is invited to participate in such a debate, he or she is directed beforehand not to make any pro-freedom or antinational statement. Whenever the nationalist anchors find anyone expressing a dissenting opinion, they frequently interrupt him/her or let other panellists interrupt him/her or simply give that person very less time. Some even mute the person while conveniently blaming it on a technical glitch. Many a times, the news anchors tend to raise a counter issue in order to neutralise the Kashmir issue but they forget that international conflicts don’t work on the same principle as chemical sciences where a base neutralises an acid and an acid a base. The human rights violations in Baluchistan cannot neutralise the human rights violations in Kashmir. Connecting the two issues is like comparing apples to oranges. The human rights violation in Kashmir is something that our nation needs to address while as the human rights violation in Baluchistan is something that Pakistan has to address. Taking about the human rights in Baluchistan while innocents are being murdered in Kashmir only shows how callous you are when it comes to the sufferings of the people you refer to as your fellow citizens.
The human rights violations in Baluchistan cannot neutralise the human rights violations in Kashmir. Connecting the two issues is like comparing apples to oranges. The human rights violation in Kashmir is something that our nation needs to address while as the human rights violation in Baluchistan is something that Pakistan has to address. Taking about the human rights in Baluchistan while innocents are being murdered in Kashmir only shows how callous you are when it comes to the sufferings of the people you refer to as your fellow citizens.
Indian media needs to understand that the only purpose their so called ‘Primetime broadcasts’ regarding Kashmir serve is to further the resentment in the hearts of Kashmiris. The way Indian media handles and represents Kashmir and the problems faced by its people only strengthens our belief that though India calls us as an integral part, they somehow turn a blind eye to our pain and our sufferings. It makes us believe that neither do they respect our wishes nor are they committed to bringing peace in our conflict torn valley. Such discriminative, aggressive, immoral and unethical media is as much responsible for the present alienation that the Kashmiris feel as are the atrocities levied against us by the forces and the government.
There are certain facts with regards to Kashmir which the Indian media cannot escape from. These facts, howsoever uncomfortable they may be, need to be accepted honestly because denial and distortion will only lead to further chaos and resentment. Media, being the 4th estate of our society, should not act as mere drum beaters but should help in finding viable solutions to issue that are presently plaguing our community. Being pro-government may help the business but media also needs to realise that it has a huge responsibility towards both the society as well as humanity. Nationalism does mean love and patriotic feelings for one’s nation, but it certainly does not mean hatred for other nations or inhumane suppression of people struggling for freedom nor does it mean acting as mute spectators to such suppression. Justifying such suppression is criminal and makes one question the integrity of our media. What is unfortunate is that in spite of being one of the pillars of democracy, Indian media (particularly electronic media) has become a platform for propaganda and appeasement of government. Rather than bringing a positive social change and living up to their principles, our media is busy in spreading lies and creating discord among the people of this country. It is busy in tearing the social fabric of our country.
Media has to be the voice of the voiceless and the oppressed, not the oppressor. Media has to report the truth, no matter how bitter it may be. Only selfless, honest, unbiased, ethical and humanistic journalism can help resolve regional and world conflicts. An ethical media can pave way for a peaceful and prosperous South Asia and a peaceful world. Before being nationalists, journalists need to be humanists. Nationalism cannot exceed humanism for the first duty of a human being is towards humanity not a country, a community or a religion.
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