Finally the Mumbai encounter is over, after claiming more than 200 lives in this incident of blasts and shootouts. Terrorists are targeting important locations one after the other. The valour showed by the NSG and maritime commandos is commendable. They deserve their appreciations except that our country lost encounter specialists and one NSG commando while clearing the hotels.
After each such attack, its the politicians who are criticized for their acts. Contrary to the past records, this time the Electronic Media has surpassed the politicians for gathering their share of criticisms.
Maharashtra’s Home Minister RR Patil has dubbed this great incident as small incidents which happen in big cities like Mumbai. Means the life of people is worthless? They get tight Z-cover security, due to which they don’t know the plight of common man! Shameless creatures who don’t deserve to be holding any government servant post.
News channels like IBNLive went as low as no can even dream of. They were in mad rush of Live telecast of such sensitive information. At that situation even those sitting in front of TV screen were busy criticising them. They set up a new standard of Desperate Journalism.
Our own Kargil ki Rani and Padma Shree award winner “Barkha Dutt” was no behind and was seen moving along with those cheap journalist who were there just for covering some sensation. She disappointed a lot of her fans, whom she made for her braveness in Kargil War. Just imagined that you have been rescued by forces and your husband/wife is still stuck up in hostel. Then suddenly Barkha Dutt arrives from nowhere and asks since your better half is still stuck inside, so “How are you feeling?” What would you reply? Speechless? I was once a fan of her long ago, but slowly I have lost confidence even in Media after losing confidence in Politicians. Now its only the judiciary on which I put my faith.
What more stupid questions can the media frame? They can ask Ratan Tata by calling him over. How many terrorists do you think are there inside? What is the damage to the structure? Any estimates? I think a small workaround may be to ban Live Reporting, but that’s impractical seeing how desperate and strong media is in our country.
The media was in forefront to disclose any commando action for cheap publicity. They were showing commandos land on hotel rooftop, what is the positioning of troops around the hotel. How many troops have been dispatched. What ammos they are carrying. They were also desperate to show how people were stuck up and calling for help at windows. They used all operations like focussing and zooming to pile up as much of sensation as they can on the already worse situation. When pushed aside by forces for getting more room, they were even quick to report “So you can see the police doesn’t want us to cover this event, you may miss this sensual and important event due to them”. I am really sick of these cheap activities. The only news channel which I like now is “DD News”, straight and to the point, no sensation, hype and all those crap.
Media is hyping this as India’s 9/11. Sorry! Its not India’s 9/11 since after that event US dared to attack Afganistan to show its might, even though it may be wrong. Our politicians would just condemn this attack and its all over. No one has the guts and most of the ministers in our present government are cowards. The situation of Kashmir is worse than what happened in Mumbai, the North-East is not better. Media - please think before you say. You caused more fear in people that the terrorist can themselves. Why show dead bodies on the first page? Why on newspapers itself? No one wants to start their day after having even a glance on it.
I just hope that Indian Media grows up on time, and we people stop watching their 3rd class reporting methods. If we stop watching, they would stop showing, just a hope. The chances are bleak, but still it is there.
