Largest Democracy failing to hear Journalists
If I discuss the role of a fascist society perhaps it might lead us to a point where history questioned again, as always. Facts will counter anti-facts and in this tussle the same society will become more receptive to the fascist forces and will succumb to more of such death threats.
Its Friday, 25th May. Bikash, a 20 year intern in the office, asked me if I followed a story on Ravish Kumar death threat? I asked him, “when did this happen”? He replied, “today”. He wanted me to follow that story there and then, he handed over his earphones to listen video clip of that heart wrenching interview on Twitter. In that moment of news, I followed his sad face, because he follows Ravish Kumar on YouTube & Twitter.
This is not new. Many journalists have received threats and after the demise of #GauriLankesh, they have proven the scenario for the worst. Ravish Kumar is a stalwart journalist with his own fan following. People love him in the same manner they loved Kabuliwala or Postman in those stories of a few famous writers.
Technology and social media combo is becoming a new weapon, even if it not, at least, in such cases it’s a weapon against a handful of individuals, specially those who are artistically sarcastic and poetically bombastic in telling stories of relevance in the public interest.
The grievance in such a matter is when their family members targeted. The problem becomes more unexplained and disgusting when independent investigating journalist like #RanaAyyub targeted for years by a fraction of a society that claims it to be masculine by hurts and abuses. And, #UNHR has to issue obligation letter to Indian government to protect Rana Ayyub.
What is unique about Ravish’s case is that multitude of phone calls ringing in the span of one day, even from foreign countries, such programmed and dominant vendetta against just one voice was never felt or seen in Indian history of journalist attack or may be anywhere in the world? Does this looks like a snippet from film #Nayak?
This an attempt to capture the free space with a single ideological framework by reducing other viewpoints to a negligible existence, which is more clear after a series of videos released by #Cobrapost #Sting operation on #Indian #media negotiating ideological standpoint with a political party.
However, how could such a negotiation threatened by two voices of #RavishKumar and #RanaAyyub?
How can, in any circumstances, a party with such a bold mandate become averse to just two voices from media? A large part of India still doesn’t have full-time electricity, a smart phone with 4G internet connection is still not available in every household. Who watch these channels anyway? Perhaps, only limited intelligentsia living in the metros.
The more of such attempts made by whosoever to create polarised viewpoints in the society, people of India in their hearts of heart know of such failed tactics and will well give them a message during every election. Important in this moment of heat and hatred is to create #mass #support #system for honest #journalists of India so that the administration do provide them protection, as well as create an example for the rest of the world that India is truly largest #democracy, even if we are ranked 137 in press freedom index.
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