We had the Tehelka sting operation a few days ago that apparently "proved" the complicity of Narendra Modi's government in the 2002 Gujarat riots. You can find posts about it here and here. The posts pointed to by the links in the previous sentence take Tehelka's sting to be true. I too was much disturbed on seeing statements from some violent people "stung" by Tehelka. And though I don't like Tehelka for their generally sensationalist stance, this story seemed to hard not believe in.
And now, you have several people doubting the "expose". You can look for the basis of the doubt with some relevant links here and here.
Each side has plenty of points to prove its case. Now the question is - who do you believe? In other words, what is the truth? I, for one, am stumped.
I feel that the English media in India are unscrupulous mercenary agents, pandering sometimes to even anti-India interests. But the freedom of media is important for any democracy. How can anybody guarantee this precious freedom without the people themselves being informed? And how can people get informed without significant help from the media? People watch channels of their choice which will continue to feed their viewers what the channels feel fit to telecast. And this will lead to groups of people completely at loggerheads with each other as they feel that their take on any incident is the "right" one and the "other" side simply doesn't "know".
Imagine the leftists - smiling knowing condescending smiles at the great unwashed brute "rightists" and seeing them as animals. At the same time, imagine people from say, the sangh-parivar glaring at leftists, seeing them as traitors that have no respect for the country's Hindu traditions and as a group of trouble-makers that wants everybody to stay in poverty for their selfish political gains. Think of any two such groups. The disagreement between them is just too much for any reconciliation. It is as if these people came from enemy countries.
Can there be a middle ground at all?
And now, you have several people doubting the "expose". You can look for the basis of the doubt with some relevant links here and here.
Each side has plenty of points to prove its case. Now the question is - who do you believe? In other words, what is the truth? I, for one, am stumped.
I feel that the English media in India are unscrupulous mercenary agents, pandering sometimes to even anti-India interests. But the freedom of media is important for any democracy. How can anybody guarantee this precious freedom without the people themselves being informed? And how can people get informed without significant help from the media? People watch channels of their choice which will continue to feed their viewers what the channels feel fit to telecast. And this will lead to groups of people completely at loggerheads with each other as they feel that their take on any incident is the "right" one and the "other" side simply doesn't "know".
Imagine the leftists - smiling knowing condescending smiles at the great unwashed brute "rightists" and seeing them as animals. At the same time, imagine people from say, the sangh-parivar glaring at leftists, seeing them as traitors that have no respect for the country's Hindu traditions and as a group of trouble-makers that wants everybody to stay in poverty for their selfish political gains. Think of any two such groups. The disagreement between them is just too much for any reconciliation. It is as if these people came from enemy countries.
Can there be a middle ground at all?
3 comments:
Your thoughts may be 'centric'
Confirmist media it is true- a self proclaimed Left..
We have leftist writers, politicians, people with Dr. and media.
We need one rightwing media.
longrun. balancing act.
I would be considered leftist by some right wing folk and rightist by most left wing folk.
But a balanced media source is what is needed. Otherwise, if, as you mention we have left and right-wing media separate, we will continue to have this problem as both groups get separate news.
But in the end, it is the people who have to read multiple sources of news to get all sides of the story. Till then, this problem will persist.
Hi,
We the people ensure through our govt "the freedom of press". As people we not only have rights but also responsibilities: called duties. Isn't there such a thing for press. Do they only have freedom and have no hassle of responsibilities?
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