International Day of Equality – a subject close to my heart

 

International Day of Equality – a subject close to my heart

Ambedkar birthday function at UN in April, 2016

The readers of my blogs are aware that that I have been repeatedly writing in these columns about the proposal – April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, to be declared as International Day of Equality ever since the proposal was made to the then EAM Sushma Swaraj in June, 2015 in the run up to observe 125^th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. In the process, I again wrote to EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar on July 25, 2021 followed by my open letter to the CMs of all the Indian States on July 2022, keeping in mind the time schedule of the annual UNGA which is held in the third week of September of the year as

the proposal is expected to be taken up with the UN by the Government of India. The time has come again but there is no sign that the GOI has done anything in this regard. PM or EAM would go and address the world from the high podium of the UN as an annual ritual.  The media back home would proclaim that India has become a ‘Vishav Guru’ and so on. We would not take up ‘public-centric’ issues owing to political considerations, it is increasingly becoming obvious. My narration may seem somewhat irritating to some but they must appreciate the pain and agony we are undergoing with the indifference and sense of no concern to the proposal to honour the greatest son of India who has already become a world icon not because of the governmental or social backing of India but by his own esteem and steam. It is surprising rather baffling to understand that why the GOI and the other political outfits as well as the civil society are blissfully ignorant and silent on the issue. We often talk about India’s diplomatic ‘soft power’ and brag about International Yoga Day and International Day of Non-violence. We also tried our best to take resort to the so called ‘soft power’ with regard to the proposal on International Day of Equality but to no avail. It has increasingly become clear that though all political and social formations are falling on each other to own and claim the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar for ‘electoral gains’ by encashing their political cheques on the dalit vote banks yet they are not sincere to honour and recognize the icon because of their ‘narrow mindsets’.  I am sorry to be candid and truthful. India would become and remain Bharat only because of Ambedkar and his sterling contribution in the nation building.  We must understand this reality, the sooner the better.

I wrote before in these columns the Indian political parties and their leaderships and also the caste ridden society never gave his due to Babasaheb Ambedkar during his life time. The legacy of Ambedkar is so potent that it became difficult to keep it under the carpet for long. Ambedkar’s political adversary Mahatma Gandhi had to admit and say, ‘You may criticize Ambedkar but you cannot ignore him.’ The time has come when no political party can dare to oppose and negate Babasaheb ostensively. They may or may not like it but there is no other way. Ambedkar’s mission and philosophy with regard to casteless society, secularism, social equality, it appears, is directly in conflict with religious strife and communal segregation which is currently engaging the society at large. It is a perturbing situation. We need to study and learn from the man of vision, Ambedkar, not only for our own good but also spread the lofty mission of the iconic leader throughout the world. The proposal on International Day of Equality exactly fits the bill both as world’s largest democracy and our cultural ‘soft diplomacy’.

It is a political ball game. It is also a fact that Ambedkar never got anything easily. The legacy of Ambedkar cannot be undermined anymore, it is also a fact. It is intriguing to understand that why the GOI is sitting tight on the proposal. Many cities and provinces in Canada, USA, UK and other countries, taking cue from the proposed

International Day of Equality, have declare April 14 as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality’ in their respective places and rightly so. Thanks to the efforts of the Indian Diaspora; particularly the followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar, in this regard. Over the years, we have tried our best to involve and engage dalit leadership – Ministers/MPs/MLAs and other high-ups and also dalit intelligentsia and spiritual Deras with the proposal to honour Babasaheb, But, I am sorry to say, they have not shown much enthusiasm beyond naming and owning him for their limited agenda. The defunct Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs and MLAs, which had shown some positive interest, while carry forward their political agenda, in the initial years from 2015, has also abandoned the proposal, it seems. Dalit big-wigs in the ruling  BJP and its allies namely; Ministers Thavar Chand Gehlot, Virendra Kumar, Ramdass Athawale, Som Prakash, Vijay Sampla, Dushyant Gautam, Guru Prakash Paswan, Shanti Prakash Jatav, Rajesh Bagha, Hans Raj Hans, with whom we have been interacting regularly, are blissfully silent on the proposal. May be they have political compulsions. We even solicited the understanding and support of RSS, including the Sarsanghchalak but could not cut much ice. They are busy in owning and selectively quoting Ambedkar in furtherance of their own agenda and do not tend to go beyond lip service.

All said and done, let me conclude by reiterating that we are not tired and would continue till the proposal on April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality sees the light of the day. We would ignore Ambedkar at our own peril. Ambedkar’s legacy has no boundaries -

Uthaye Kuch Waraq Lale Ne, Kuch Nargis Ne, Kuch Gul Ne
Chaman Mein Har Taraf Bikhri Huwi Hai Dastan Meri

(Some leaves were picked up by the tulip, some by the narcissus, some by the rose
My story is scattered around everywhere in the garden)

Urha Li Qumriyon Ne, Tootiyon Ne, Andleebon Ne
Chaman Walon Ne Mil Kar Loot Li Tarz-e-Faghan Meri

(The turtle‐doves, parrots, and nightingales pilfered away
The garden’s denizens jointly robbed away my plaintive way)

Polarization – Political Vs Ethnic

 

Polarization – Political Vs Ethnic

The largest democracy of the world – India that is Bharat is, it seems, finding itself on cross roads. It has come a long way since independence 75 years ago. The constitution of India, it is for certain, has stood the test of time – personality cult in the early years in PM Jawaharlal Nehru’s time, abrasions like emergency 

 imposed by PM Indira Gandhi , opposition unity of motley crowd in 1977 under Jai Prakash Narayan and change of guard, sudden elimination of PM Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in violence, Mandal-Kamandal slugfest, demolition of Babri Masjid and construction of Ram Janambhoomi Mandir, Wars with China in 1962 and with Pakistan in 1965, 1971, 1999 (Kargil), demonetization, fight with Covid pandemic were some of the challenging situations but we remained on track as a vibrant democratic nation. Thanks to the constitution. India has arrived, no doubt. We are on the way to realize and redeem our pledge of ‘Tryst with Destiny”. The warnings of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to ward off dangers to our newly earned independence which he sounded in his last speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949 still ring bells which we must listen if want to reach our destination – a Vikshit Bharat. I am reminded of a poetic assertion of Allma Iqbal to get alerted to respond to the ground realities and the challenges ahead:-

Chupa Kar Asteen Mein Bijliyan Rakhi Hain Gardoon Ne
Anadil Bagh Ke Ghafil Na Baithen Ashiyon Mein

(The sky has kept thunderbolts concealed up its sleeve
Garden’s nightingales should not slumber in their nests)

Generally, the constitution has kept us as a nation on the march. Of late, it has been observed that some superfluous tendencies have crept in which tended to upset the social and political fabric of the country. These uncalled for tendencies, ethnic and religious polarization and dictatorial behavior, not only negate the basic and fundamentals of the constitution but also hit the moral and humanistic aspects of the society. It seems that we have started placing our personal and narrow agenda above the national interest.

It will be fool-hardy not to revisit Babasaheb Ambedkar and learn. On November 25, 1949, he spoke of the need to give up the grammar of anarchy, to avoid hero-worship, and to work towards a social – not just a political – democracy and added, “Will history repeat itself? It is this thought which fills me with anxiety. This anxiety is deepened by the realization of the fact that in addition to our old enemies in the form of castes and creeds we are going to have many political parties with diverse and opposing political creeds. Will Indians place the country above their creed or will they place creed above country? I do not know. But this much is certain that if the parties place creed above country, our independence will be put in jeopardy a second time and probably be lost forever. This eventuality we must all resolutely guard against. We must be determined to defend our independence with the last drop of our blood.”

 We subscribed to parliamentary form of government in which the Executive powers are vested in President with his Council of Ministers headed by Prime Minister as first among equals. But in practice, the things have tended to go the other way, powers concentrating with the PM - Jawaharlal Nehru-Indira Gandhi- Narander Modi, which has led to ‘personality cult’, a sure way to dictatorship which is an anti-thesis to democracy. Yet another gem

from the visionary leader, Dr. Ambedkar is as relevant today as it was before. He said, “This democratic system India lost. Will she lose it a second time? I do not know. But it is quite possible in a country like India – where democracy from its long disuse must be regarded as something quite new – there is danger of democracy giving place to dictatorship. It is quite possible for this new born democracy to retain its form but give place to dictatorship in fact. If there is a landslide, the danger of the second possibility becoming actuality is much greater.”

Barring early years of our independence when the political system tried to evolve some sort of polarization of political forces and players on the basis of ideology and rightly so – Congress Party and his allies as the Centre - Jan Sangh, Hindu Maha Sabha, Swatantra Party etc. as the Right of Centre and Socialists and Left parties as the Left of the Centre. Even Babasaheb Ambedkar wanted to launch a Pan-India party as a viable opposition to all powerful Congress but that was not to be as he passed away in 1956. We lost the way, in the process, and could not get, unfortunately, polarization of political forces, the first requisite of a democracy. Political parties increasingly became a ‘motley crowd’ of vested and sectarian interests bereft of any ideology. Aya Ram Gya Ram syndrome over took the system. Parties like BSP, Samajwadi Party, RJD, JDU, Samta Party, Lok Dal, NCP, TMC, AAP and many more cropped up with limited influence in various states and regions with no distinct and alternate agenda. Moreover, over the years, regional parties like SAD, DMK, AIDMK, Shiv Sena, BJD among others increasingly became vocal and strong in their respective states. With these developments, political polarization on the basis of ideology got further hit which was not good for the health of democratic polity. Political morality which is the most important unwritten ingredient for the success of democracy got diluted. All this resulted in uncalled for situation in a secular and democratic edifice of the country as visualized by our forefathers – religious polarization, ethnic strife, majoritarianism, minority syndrome, intolerance, dictatorial approaches and such other negative phenomenon which negated the lofty ideals of ‘Equality, Liberty, Justice and Fraternity’ so nicely enshrined in our constitution.

With this background, let us proceed further. Congress Party lost its steam and got pulled down from the podium, beginning 2014. NCP, TMC etc. broke away from the Congress and formed splinter groups, Samajwadis got divided into various groups like SP, RJD, JDU etc.

, BSP, Kanshi Ram’s outfit to reckon with, lost its way under the weight of its own self-centered leadership, the left and communists, it seems have lost their relevance in the changed national and international scene. BJP exploited this divisive scenario with their exclusive agenda of ethnic polarization with ‘Hindutava and Nationalism’ as under-current of their liberal face. Hindu-Muslim divide helped them in furtherance of their vested design of ‘divide and rule’. The same mantra was deployed to ‘divide and fragment’ dalit vote banks and bring them to naught.  As of now in 2022 and in the run up to elections in 2024, the polity and society is totally divided and fragmented and opposition has been successfully marginalized. It is a challenging scenario with no light at the end of the tunnel.

What is the way out to save the country, diverse and multi-racial and multi-cultural, and its political democracy so laboriously built and nurtured in 75 years of freedom. What should we do to save ourselves from entering the phase of ‘Grammar of Anarchy’ as warned by the chief architect of our constitution, Babasaheb Ambedkar? I venture to undertake here an off the cuff analysis not as an expert but as a concerned citizen of India that is Bharat. I start from the premise that the Hindu society, the majority community, will remain divided and fragmented on the basis of Manuwadi thinking and the caste system as followed and practiced, consciously or otherwise, by the BJP and its mentors in the RSS and its affiliates like VHP and Bajrang Dal etc. It suits their political agenda to polarize the Hindu society. The second premise is that the chasm between the majority Hindus and minority Muslims, Christians and Sikhs would get widened in the coming years. The third one is dalits would get ‘Educated, Organized and Agitated’ to demand their due share and space in the political and economic structures of the country as ordained by their icons Babasaheb Ambedkar and Babu Kanshi Ram.  With this, I see no political polarization on the basis of ideology and agenda which is ideally needed for the success of democracy. Given the ground reality, there would be a new paradigm – polarization of political forces not on the desired basis but otherwise on socio-cultural and ethnic basis, in the coming years. Will it be for the good or otherwise, it is difficult to say as of now? I will share here what the emerging situation dictates, to my mind.

All said and done, there would be or should be three major political formations – i) Centre – United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by Congress Party with likeminded outfits like NCP, TMC, AAP, Socialists (representing OBCs of upper crust (landowners), ii) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by BJP with Socialists (representing OBCs of upper crust (landowners) and other Hindu nationalists as Right of the Centre and  iii) Third Front - comprising of Socialists, Communists, BSP, Outfits representing minorities (Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, OBCs (landless/Ati-shudras) and dalits who do not profess to be Hindus as Left of the Centre. I have, it may be observed, bifurcated OBCs into the Upper crust and landless Ati-Shudras  as the ‘Bahujan’ concept of Babu Kanshi Ram and Samajwadis have almost failed. In the villages, OBCs of Upper crust category are equally casteist and target dalits and poor OBCs like Manuwadis. The fourth pillar of the political spectrum would be the regional parties like Shiv Sena, BJD, SAD, DMK, AIDMK, NCP, PDP and other splinter groups in various states. They will remain and cannot be wished away. Political polarization is much needed

requisite for the functioning of our political democracy but not on the basis of religion and ethnicity. But it could not happen. The divisive and fissiparous tendencies, getting strength from the on-going Hindu-Muslim, Hindu-Christian, Sikh-Hindu, Sikh-Christian religious slugfest, would remain for a long time to come, given the current scenario purposely and willfully designed and created by the vested interests to carry forward their political agenda over and above the national interests. That is why, I have taken the liberty of suggesting a functional and pragmatic political approach which may seem a utopia to many but there is no way out, to my mind. With the suggested political polarization, the likely government formation would be – i) UPA with the Third Front and some of the regional outfits or ii) NDA with the Third Front or iii) Third Front either with UPA or NDA with some of the regional parties.

We the people of India must think and act, sooner the better. The apprehensions expressed by Babasaheb Ambedkar, a visionary leader ring in my ears and I get frightened. He said, “On 26th January 1950, India will be an independent country. What would happen to her

independence? Will she maintain her independence or will she lose it again? This is the first thought that comes to my mind. It is not that India was never an independent country. The point is that she once lost the independence she had. Will she lose it a second time? It is this thought which makes me most anxious for the future. What perturbs me greatly is the fact that not only India has once before lost her independence, but she lost it by the infidelity and treachery of some of her own people.”

Watan Ki Fikar Kar Nadan! Musibat Ane Wali Hai
Teri Barbadiyon Ke Mashware Hain Asmanon Mein
(Think of the homeland, O ignorant one! Hard times are coming
Conspiracies for your destruction are afoot in the heavens)

Na Samjho Ge To Mit Jao Ge Ae Hindustanon Walo !
Tumhari Dastan Tak Bhi Na Ho Gi Daston Mein
(You will be annihilated if you do not understand, O people of India!
Even your tales will disappear from the world’s chronicles)

 

 

 

 

Diplomatic Musing – The Name Game

 

Diplomatic Musing – The Name Game

We, rightly or wrongly, are engaging ourselves in changing names of roads, buildings, cities, railway stations, airports, institutions and so on ‘to set the wrongs of history right in their right perspective’ as seen by the ruling elite. PM Narendra Modi reiterated its resolve in his address to the nation on August 15 from the rampart of the Red

Fort and said, ‘ किसी भी कोने में गुलामी का अंश न रह जाए। अब हमें शत-प्रतिशत उन गुलामी के विचारों से पार पाना है, जिसने हमें जकड़कर रखा है। हमें गुलामी की छोटी से छोटी चीज भी नजर आती है तो हमें उससे मुक्ति पानी ही होगी’ The thought and process could be a matter of debate but I see no point in taking it that far. Let us see how things are folding up.

PM Narendra Modi threw open the Central Vista Avenue in the national capital of New Delhi on September 8.  Name of the historic landmark – Raj Path – adorned by the majestic Rashtrapati Bhawan on one end and the magnificent India Gate on the other has been changed to – Kartavya Path as “It symbolizes a shift from erstwhile Rajpath being an icon of power to Kartavya Path being an example of public ownership and empowerment.  The canopy at the India Gate has been uplifted by a 28 feet tall statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to provide a due and rightful space to the national hero. Again, I will refrain from sitting on judgment of the decision expect saying that PM Jawaharlal Nehru named the ‘road leading to the seat power’ as Rajpath in 1955 by changing the Kingsway and an intersection called the Queensway as Jan Path. Just to add to the story, I may add that I learnt from a reliable source, when I was working as a junior official in the PMO in 1974-77, that the iconic

writer, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, father of the legendary actor, Amitab Bachchan, suggested these names of Raj Path and Jan Path as a friend of PM Nehru and the Hindi Advisor in the Ministry of External Affairs. The Raj Path and its soundings has been the most attractive and well kept spot of the Lutyens’ Delhi. Nobody should dispute and negate the fact that the current government has done a good and appreciative job in redoing and improving its infrastructure and ambiance betting to the stature of India. PM Narendra Modi in his speech at the inaugural function said and explained why the name of Raj Path has been changed to Kartavya Path , ‘ये बदलाव केवल प्रतीकों तक ही सीमित नहीं है, ये बदलाव देश की नीतियों का भी हिस्सा बन चुका है। आज देश अंग्रेजों के जमाने से चले आ रहे सैकड़ों क़ानूनों को बदल चुका है। भारतीय बजट, जो इतने दशकों से ब्रिटिश संसद के समय का अनुसरण कर रहा था, उसका समय और तारीख भी बदली गई है। राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा नीति के जरिए अब विदेशी भाषा की मजबूरी से भी देश के युवाओं को आजाद किया जा रहा है। यानी, आज देश का विचार और देश का व्यवहार दोनों गुलामी की मानसिकता से मुक्त हो रहे हैं। ये मुक्ति हमें विकसित भारत के लक्ष्य तक लेकर जाएगी।

Now I come to my musing with regard to naming of a road not far from the Kartavya Path. It was sometime in 2000 when I was working in the Ministry of External Affairs as the Director of the Central Asia Division. President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev was on

a visit to India. The Hindi version of the Kyrgyz epic Manas was officially released by the visiting President and PM Atal Bihar Vajpayee at Hyderabad House. It was also decided that a road in Delhi will be named after the Manas and accordingly Saint Martin Marg, where Jesus and Mary College is located in Chanakyapuri, was identified to rename it. All arrangements were put in place by the NDMC and the next day it was to be officially opened in the presence of the visiting dignitary. Late in the evening when I was still in my office in South Block, I got a call from either NDMC or Police authorities or our Protocol, I don’t recall it exactly, that all was not well and Saint Martin Marg cannot be changed as the Christian community and Jesus and Mary College were dead against it and  started some sort of protest and sit-in (dharna) at the site. Presidential banquet hosted in the honour of President Akayev was in progress at Rashtrapati Bhawan. My immediate boss Joint Secretary Aloke Sen was also there. I rushed to Rashtrapati Bhawan, as there were no mobile phones available to us at that time, and informed him of the position. It was a big fiasco. Aloke Sen immediately informed the Secretary and EAM Jaswant Singh. Without delay a new decision was taken, while I was still, late in the night, sitting in the ante-room. It was decided, may be in consultation with NDMC and PM Atal Bihari

Vajpayee, that another road close by will be named after the Manas. NDMC and CPWD would make all necessary arrangements immediately in the night itself and the opening function will be held as was planned. It was a big relief. One small road close by, now near Lovely Unisex Saloon, was named as The Manas Marg which is still there signifying India-Kyrgyz friendly relations. Naming or renaming may be problematic sometimes.

India is a dignified member of the comity of nations. With a view to understand and appreciate each other, we name roads or institutions in the name of international dignitaries as a gesture of goodwill. Similarly in reciprocation, India also gets the same treatment and rightly so. Since we are talking about the ‘remnants of slavery’, I have yet another musing in this regard. Mahatma Gandhi was the lead player or actor in our struggle for freedom from the British colonial rule, we all know. Obviously, the British colonialists were not happy with him. PM Winston Churchill called him as a ‘naked fakir’. But Mahatma Gandhi is a much celebrated personality not in India alone but throughout the world including the UK. While even after 75 years of our independence, we are busy in removing the ‘Gulami ke ansh’, Mahatma Gandhi is celebrated and honoured in the UK. Since we are talking about the name change of roads, I have something to share here. A road leading to one of the main gates of a

prominent park in Edinburgh, which also has a beautiful and majestic statue of Mahatma Gandhi, was named as “Mahatma Gandhi Avenue’. It was my honour and pleasure to be there at the ceremony, led by the Lord Mayor of Edinburgh, at the park sometime in 2008 as the Consul General of India when we were observing the International Day of Non-violence on October 2, the birthday of the Mahatma. Is there any message in this? One may think and decide one’s own. History of ‘good or bad: glorious or shameful’ past will remain. It cannot be erased. Let us join hands to make India a self-relent India as visualized by PM Narendra Modi in his Mantra of ‘Sab Ka Sath, Sab Ka Vikash and Sab Ka Vishbas. There is no other way to transform India into Bharat.

Zarā dekh us ko jo kuchh ho rahā hai hone vaalā hai

Dharā kyā hai bhalā ahd-e-kuhan kī dāstānoñ meñ     

 

 

The so-called Indian Godi Media – an Assessment

 

The so-called Indian Godi Media – an Assessment

It is said that in a democracy, Media is the Fourth Estate/Pillar of the State besides; Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. The Article 19 of the constitution of India states that ‘All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression’. Media seeks its legitimacy and authority to be ‘free and fair’ from these provisions. The chief

architect of the constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar while explaining the matter in the Constituent Assembly said that no special mention of the freedom of press was necessary at all as the press and an individual or a citizen were the same as far as their right of expression was concerned. The UN Declaration of Human Rights also stipulates that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’ The purpose of a free press is to ensure that the people are free to receive and impart information that is not manipulated or serving a particular person, entity or interest. Freedom of press is critical to a democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. A free media functions as a watchdog that can investigate and report on government wrongdoing. But do the Indian media qualify itself in terms of the above mentioned general stipulations for the media in a democratic country and a free society? The answer would be in the negative, unfortunately. Here comes the new nomenclature of the Indian Media – The Godi Media. I have ventured to undertake this difficult job to say something on the ‘Godi Modi’, a dangerous job as a layman and a concerned citizen, lest I should be declared a traitor- a Gadhar. Let us see what experts say on the subject, "Today's media, under either threat, luring or manipulations, is not only crawling but is happily licking the 'boots' of the present regime and wagging their tails to appease their 'masters' by overzealous publicizing government's narratives." said Apurva Trivedi, a journalist in India who has been working in the field for over 19 years. "Not only owners but most of the journalists have towed the line, either as a survival instinct or willingly. And that is the beginning of the end of journalism which used to be in India and which ought to be in India," he added. It sets the position in perspective. “

In fact, as far as I understand, media was never free and fair in India both under the colonial rule and even after independence. Bal Gangadhr Tilak’s mouthpieces, The Kesri and The Maharatta stood with the Manuwadi mindset and opposed Joytirao Phule and Savitri Phule’s progressive and reformist agenda of help to the under privileged. I read that the Kesri refused to carry a paid advertisement of the Mooknayak of Babasaheb Ambedkar as Tilak did not agree

with Ambedkar on his views on Hinduism and dalit rights. The mouthpieces of Mahatma Gandhi like; The Harijan, The Young India and the Navjivan always opposed and maligned the spokesmen of the oppressed led by Babasaheb Ambedkar on the same account.   We ushered ourselves into a democratic system with the new constitution. Unfortunately, media remained in the hands of big industrial houses and sectarian vested interests of the mainstream of the society to carry their own agenda without caring for the civic or public issues of interest and concern. Most of the majors in the media joined hands on the declaration of national emergency in 1975 by PM Indira Gandhi. This unity, to my mind, was not to stand for free and fair media but to oppose Indira Gandhi and the emergency. As of today, there is hardly any newspaper which is dedicated to the issues of the poor and marginalized segments of the society. The captive media does not engage and encourage dalit journalists and as such deprived sections of the society do not have any say in the media. Of late, some of the dalit journalists have resorted to the social media and have become vocal. It is a good omen and right step in the right direction. The main stream of the media, both print and electronic, is blissfully ignorant and silent on the ‘public centric’ issues.

Any sane person watching the prime time so called debate shows in the evening on the TV channels in India could see and make ones on assessment. Mine understanding of the scenario  is definitely worrisome. Someone has rightly commented, “Press is supposed to be the voice of the public to the government, but in modern times, a contrast to this can be observed, where some of the major mainstream media houses are marketing the political parties while criticizing the oppositions parties and not discussing the relevant issues like public welfare, corruption, analysis of government schemes, etc. Though it is also true that forums like WhatsApp, YouTube, and Facebook which are totally independent are have become prone to fake news leading to mob lynching, fear-mongering, hate speech, propaganda spreading and indecency promoting, which highlights the need of some reasonable restrictions of the press.” The self-professed free and fair journalists and anchors – pretty faces like; Chitras, Rubikas, Aditis, Anjnas, Swetas, Himanis among others and laud-mouths like; Arnabs, Sudhirs, Amishs,

Amans, Deepaks, inter alia, get busy with their agenda to corner the ‘Nehru Gandhi’ family and the opposition to support the Government and praise the worthies in power. Most of these TV channels come up with almost identical topics and issues as if these have been dictated by someone sitting in the big offices outside and the corridors of power in the South and North Blocks of the Lutyen’s Delhi. Their focus always remains on – Hindu-Muslim divide, projecting the ruling elite, propaganda to malign and downgrade Nehru-Indira-Sonia – Rahul and other opposition leaders. Even the names of the programs like; Halla Bol, Prahar, Taal Thok

Ke, Hunkar and so on, sound like ‘war cries’ in the battle fields. The usual topics pertain to – Talak, Jihad, Hizab, Madrasa, Mandir-Masjid – nationalism rather than discrimination against women, untouchability, caste system to clean and transform the society. They have no time to undertake issues of unemployment, price-rise, bad health services, education, corruption (except underlining the dubious role of CBI, ED, Income Tax against the opposition leaders and others not siding with the ruling outfit) and social issues of discrimination and neglect pertaining to the weaker sections of society. The supposed to be the Fourth Pillar of the State has failed the country. Let us not ignore this ground reality before it gets too late.

The situation is getting precarious with the each passing day. Where do we stand in the realm of free and fair media? In 2017, the country was ranked 136 out of 180 nations, and later it declined to 138 in 2018 in the world index report. The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, reveals that India's ranking fell from 133 in 2016 to 150 in 2021. Scandinavian countries, Finland, Denmark and Sweden top the list of countries having a free and fair media. We must, as the largest democracy of the world, learn something from these countries.  Our Media Bigwigs should have self introspection without delay. The statutory outfits like the Press Council of India have become only cosmetic make up to cover the wrinkles on the face of the Media. They should wake up and do their job. I conclude here with a poetic assertion of Allma Iqbal:

Nahin Minnatkash-e-Taab-e-Shaneedan Dastan Meri
Khamoshi Guftugu Hai, Be-Zubani Hai Zuban Meri

My story is not indebted to the patience of being heard
My silence is my talk, my speechlessness is my speech

Ye Dastoor-e-Zuban Bandi Hai Kaisa Teri Mehfil Mein
Yahan To Baat Karne Ko Tarasti Hai Zuban Meri

Why does this custom of silencing exist in your assembly?
My tongue is tantalized to talk in this assembly