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5 years ago
Friday, December 05, 2008
Did NDTV kill NSG commandos?
A few days of 'HOT' live news, 'We condemn..' press releases (interestingly by politicians and bigwigs who kids are all safely abroad away from the terror-stricken streets of metros), center spreads and editorials about the resilient spirit of India in general and Mumbai in particular. A society desperate to find victory in the sacrifices of a few heroes to relieve the pain from the appalling failure of the overall establishment.
On the other side of the fence, a mirror image of facts being reported but with the same underlying emotions. The Pakistani media accuse India of pretty much the same things that the Indian & world media have done of Pakistan (i.e. blood thirsty fundamentalists, seek an enemy in our country to hold their country united etc. etc.) But the Pakistani media has stooped to newer depths leaving the Indian counterparts far behind, that it outrages even one's normal sense of professional press conduct, leave alone ideals like nationalism. A 'zionist' plot by Indo-Israeli intelligence to target Pakistan? Within just hours after the incident when even details, let alone evidence was awaited ? - Seriously dude, this is stretching journalistic license like India rubber !
A blind upsurge of right-wing views immediately all over - and the vociferous call for Indians to be 'mard' while letting our sanity be hijacked by harmones. The Government establishment of course has a long way to go to address the question of terror.
Meanwhile, of great interest has been the activities of the media - which scavenged the attack sites to lick the last human bone of the victims to squeeze the last drops of juicy sound bytes for viewership - to put it very mildly.
Barkha Dutt came out with self-righteous anger at the allegations levelled against NDTV ('the last succour for justice to the common man' etc. etc.) All she does in her defence is leave the blame at the Govt's door after saying it is 'grossly unfair and saddening' to be left at NDTV's door. Come on! its like saying 'I technically did not break any rules because the Govt. hadn't the sense to put any!'
The NSG has a different opinion obviously and has alleged that the media coverage caused significant damage to their operations including the life of one of their commandos.
I hate what NDTV has done in this case - with all due respect to them being the last recourse for justice in this country blah blah blah... in the end they have proved they are another bunch of TRP-crazy madmen with no sense of responsibility in a situation that requires sensitivity and humane handling.
On the larger question of terror - lets just say, quo vadis India, Mr. Chidambaram?
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6 comments:
Nice post !
I think NDTV covered the commando landings as a continuum of their live coverage of the Mumbai carnage. This is just a cover-up effort by the Government with a view to deflect blame.
While the Government has no excuses for either the incident nor the lack of media policy in disasters, NDTV's defence doesn't hold water.
Abdicating the moral responsibility in handling a disaster situation where lives are involved doesn't become a corporate citizen.
It seems to me that many from Islamic countries buy into the Zionist conspiracy propagandists whenever something that involves them happens. To them, everything needs to be tied to Israel's formation as a state out of 'over-claiming' the Holocaust.
Given India's rather convenient Pro-US and IMO, less than moral stance, its just easier for them to claim this by saying, "You see, nobody stands up against US hegemony but we do". I am referring to Iran, in particular, ofcourse.
At the heart of everything - is faith in a text written a few thousand years ago about the promised Holy Land. And my country (if I may so indulge) is inevitably drawn into it and has to pay for it.
@karthik: Interesting view.
I never knew much about the issues in the Middle East. When the Pakistani media tied Mumbai to 'Zionist' 'militants' in India, I was surprised at the portrayal of Indian support for Zionists - It is a disinformation campaign of huge proportions(If true, then by the Indian media, else the Pakistani media).
Even during Kargil, the then Army Chief claimed that Barkha Dutt was responsible for the death of 3 soldiers ... as she disclosed on T.V. where they were hiding and thus the other side got the info
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