There are over 400 news channels in the country. Despite that, when it comes to credibility and consistency of news, people are more inclined to believe the newspapers. Why is that? Why has the TV news industry not been able to establish its credibility among people in the past two decades?

There is also the question of how interested the audience is in watching serious issues concerning public welfare? When late journalist Surendra Pratap Singh (SP Singh) gave Hindi television news a professional turn, people’s attraction towards TV news certainly grew, but later, under the pressures of the market, the government and TRPs, television channels crafted a new definition of news in which the truth and the search for truth did not matter anymore.

After the arrival of online news websites, the crisis of TV news channels has worsened. Apart from a few exceptions, their financial situation is utterly weak. They have to depend on advertisements for resources. They have to work bearing the pressures of the market and the authorities. Ridden with debt, the founder of NDTV news channel, Prannoy Roy, had to sell his channel to the Adani group after which many well-known journalists, including Ravish Kumar, handed in their resignation letters.

Some days ago, I saw Vinay Shukla’s documentary “Namaskar, Main Ravish Kumar”. This film has not been officially released in the country yet. Lately, many documentary films made in India may have been discussed in national and international events, but the documentary producers-directors have to always remain in search of audiences and distributors.

As the name conveys, the documentary is centred around Ravish Kumar, star anchor and TV journalist, who was associated with NDTV for about 25 years. The extremist-national cacophony in the Narendra Modi government’s time, and his courageous journalism and life struggles become the subject of this documentary film. Along with this comes the contemporary times and our society.

The documentary is also a sharp commentary on the workings of the TV news industry. As the TV channel’s resources dried up, the role of the reporter also faded away. Debates and discussions began happening in studios following a pre-designed pattern. Providing credible news and its analysis became unimportant and loud screaming became essential. It is important to note here that TV anchors get big pay cheques for this work.

Whether authority is political or religious, it doesn’t like questions. In a democratic system, mediapersons ask questions to the authorities as representatives of the public. Ravish Kumar presents issues of the people in a simple and witty manner. He asked questions to the authority through his journalism, for which he has paid a price. As his credibility and fame grew among the common people, he kept getting more and more isolated. The way this documentary brings forward his moments with his little daughter is very moving.

It is unfortunate that he has received many kinds of threats for doing his job. Ravish Kumar is no exception. In the past few years, a system has developed with the government’s support that depends on peddling lies and propaganda. They spread rumours for political ends. Sudhir Mishra’s recent film ‘Afwah’ deals with this issue. They easily target journalists who refuse to bend to their wishes.

Lately, India is being called the ‘Mother of democracy’ on national and international platforms. The media of the biggest and oldest democracy of the world is not independent and this points towards the crisis of democracy. Journalism is public service, but today it’s not easy to pursue journalism as a profession.

India is ranked 161 out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. Despite this, we have among us many journalists who stay away from glamour and risk their lives to bring out the truth to the society. In 2019, when Ravish Kumar received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, his journalism was described as “the voice of the voiceless committed to truth.” While Hindi TV news is delivering entertainment and controversies, commitment to truth has been left far behind.

In the whole world, globalisation has led to the rise of Right-wing forces and extremist nationalism in the past two decades. It is also important to ask what has been the dominant trend of Hindi news channels in these 20 years? Being the major medium of mass communication, did their concerns align with the public? Did they strengthen the public through news and debates so they could fulfil the role of an aware citizen?

Liberalisation (1991), privatisation, globalisation is the major cause of media capitalism in the open economy. It might have an autonomous culture, but it has remained a part of the corporate world. The changes that the Indian society and politics experienced after globalisation, also impacted media and especially linguistic media.

This documentary’s effect seems incomplete and scattered. Many questions, like how the NDTV kept getting debt-ridden do not get any commentary. For a complete picture, it is also necessary to question the nexus of capitalism and the media. Whenever we try to analyse the workings of media, we will have to investigate the relations between capitalism and media as well. Just like any other capitalistic venture. The major goal of the TV news industry is getting TRPs and earning profits, due to which the issues of the people and their welfare have been left somewhere far behind. 

The writer is an independent journalist and researcher. The views are personal.

Translated by Nalini Prateek

Courtesy: Newsclick

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It was around the time when his Primetime newshour show was usually telecast, 9 p.m. or so on November 30, 2022 that media was abuzz with the news many viewers were expecting: the resignation of Ravish Kumar from NDTV. Social media was flooded with messages and quotations from India’s popular television anchor. A day before the owner-promoters Pranoy Roy-Radhika Roy had stepped down from the channel’s promoter firm, RRPR Holding’s board as former journalists with the Adani group, Sanjay Pugalia, Senthil Chengylvarayan and Sudipta Bhattarcya occupied their place. The next morning, today, Ravish addressed his audience.

There was a barely controlled drama, inevitability, sadness and anger as hundreds of thousands viewers watched his ‘farewell NDTV speech’ on a recently launched YouTube Channel, Ravish Kumar Official. Auf Wiedersehen is a charming term in Austrian or German that simply does not allow a final parting: Until we meet again or goodbye for now, for the present. Auf Wiedersehen sums up what Ravish communicated this morning, perfectly.

The masterful use of language is Ravish’s forte and the December 1 address so beautifully resonated this. Among all else that he said, the manner and fashion, charm and grace with which he saluted the women and girls in his life –personal and professional– was rare, exceptional. The association and teaming up with women bettered him both as a journalist and a human being, Ravish told us showcasing the bitter and sly burden of patriarchy within newsrooms.

A proud Bihari belonging to the Bhojpuri language and a practitioner of the saral Hindi. Journalism is about the choice of language and in a country or nation where language domination has a colonial throwback, the language that Ravish brought to national television, and with it, a peer’s respect for the Urdu, the Marwadi, the Marathi, the Kannada, the Tamil, the Bengali, is unique. At the award ceremony of the first Gauri Memorial Trust in Bengaluru in September of 2019, the same month he was awarded the Magsaysay award, he spoke of the language behind communication. Then, in his acceptance speech, he delved deep into topics that ranged from Indian media and its role to the detriment of Indian democracy to Article 370 and its aftermath. He spoke about the Centre’s Hindi imposition while quoting from a poem by Kedarnath Singh evoking a thunderous applause from the audience.

Back now to the show. And this personal cum professional salaam to Ravish.

Hark back to 2016, the first dark assault by the Regime. When students of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) and Jawarharlal Nehru University (JNU) were reviled and abused by powerful in government, and this abuse was reflected and amplified on commercial television.

Darkness on India’s Prime Time News: In a scathing self-critique of India’s private prime time television news, especially the unprofessional conduct of well-known and lauded anchors, Ravish Kumar of NDTV India had a Blackened Out Screen on the News Hour for 45 minutes on Friday, February 19. Thereafter began his epiphany to India’s dying television news casters, the Godi media.

The video of this radical programme –still available on YouTube— is self explanatory. In simple and hard hitting Hindi, Ravish argues how the lynch mob is cultivated by the undemocratic and tyrannical conduct of television anchors in the name of debate. The immediate provocation was the lies being dished out on commercial television, the morphed and manipulated imagery being “sold” about JNU and its student leaderhip, dubbing them the anti-national and the terrorist.

“Yeh Andhera hi Aaj Ki TV ki Tasveer Hai.” (The dark screen is the true image of TV today).

“Debate ke naam par Janmat ka Maut Ho Raha Hai.” (People’s voices are being throttled in the name of debate)

Before a dark screen, we heard Ravish’s calm yet biting voice:

आप इस चीख को पहचानिये। इस चिल्लाहट को समझिये। इसलिए मैं आपको अंधेरे में ले आया हूं। कोई तकनीकि ख़राबी नहीं है। आपका सिग्नल बिल्कुल ठीक है। ये अंधेरा ही आज के टीवी की तस्वीर है। हमने जानबूझ कर ये अंधेरा किया है। समझिये आपके ड्राईंग रूम की बत्ती बुझा दी है और मैं अंधेरे के उस एकांत में सिर्फ आपसे बात कर रहा हूं।

The use of the Azaadi slogan by the iconic youth leader Kanhaiya Kumar, then with the CPI now with the Congress party, first during agitations and then 13 days after Ravish Kumar’s black-out broadcast on March 3, 2016 was precursed by all efforts to slur his image.

कन्हैया कुमार की तस्वीरों को बदल–बदल कर चलाया गया ताकि लोग उसे एक आतंकवादी और गद्दार के रूप में देख सकें। एक तस्वीर में वो भाषण दे रहा है तो उसी तस्वीर में पीछे भारत का कटा छंटा झंडा जोड़ दिया गया है। फोटोशॉप तकनीक से आजकल खूब होता है।

After that, there was this open letter, powerful, scathing and emotional to previously one of India’s most loved editors who has then not just demeaned himself politically but been mired in the most degrading of sexual harassment at the workplace scandals, MJ Akbar, now a politician. Senior journalist Priya Ramani had won a criminal defamation case slammed by Akbar, against her, in 2018, alleging ‘damage to his reputation (February 2021).’

Ravish Kumar reminded Akbar that the political change in the Indian landscape that ‘veteran journalists’ like Akbar call ‘great for India’has also forged a culture of abuse with media persons being called ‘presstitutes’ and ‘pimps and hustlers.’ Ravish Kumar in this open letter to Akbar on his blog reminded him that things had sunk so low that ‘my mother has been called a whore –a woman who does not know what an anchor is’  but is concerned about her son, Ravish Kumar’s health. When she found that her son was being abused in such vile language, she could not sleep for days. There is much more that Ravish says to Akbar abour political control and overt psychphancy (use of the prime minister’s photos on journalists’ ‘profiles) and the letter needs to be read and recalled in full. By students and practioners of the craft.

Today. NDTV India, the field television journalists who covered the Shaheen Bagh protests and the Kisan Andolan, the large number of lesser and bigger professionals who made up the Ravish Kumar Team—each and all received a mention today. Ravish Kumar, saluting the India and Indians that sat in protest against the CAA 2019 and the three farm laws, reminded us of the television anchor, who, through all his telecasts was not just a sharp critique but an unthreatening colleague who began his career with the channel he departed from yesterday, sorting out correspondences and letters. Today, with a fan club numbering millions he is the recipient of hand written missives from a vast audience that are also his collaborators, journalistically.

That then was the essence of the message that was finally communicated today: that the view of the Indian people matter, that democracy is about this accommodation and assertion. He spoke to the Indian people, the viewers, the last stakeholders of a democracy seriously under assault and attack. It was and is they who will be the final victors if and when Indian democracy does crawl out of the abyss; when ordinary Indian, sick neck deep with the hate poison they have consumed, force it to be cleansed out of the body politic. Thus spoke Ravish.

The ambush on the NDTV channel by corporate honcho, Gautam Adani, had first happened in August 2022: when the Gautam Adani-led Adani Group, acquired 29.18 per cent stake, and said it will launch an open offer as required by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to buy another 26 per cent in the company The stark message was there for all to see. In a notice to stock exchanges, NDTV said the acquisition was executed without any input from, conversation with, or consent of NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy. At the time, both held 32.26 per cent in NDTV.

Given this ‘backdoor ambush’ by a business unashamedly close to the ruling regime, back in August 2022, it was only a matter of time before senior journalists like Ravish did actually bow out. The millions of Indians for whom Ravish brings sanity, reason and hope however will not allow Ravish the last bow.

Related:

Also watch BBC’s trending Video- “Debunking the Viral Video of ‘sedition’ that has captivated India” 
 

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Ravish is Gandhian in his thought process. He holds the value of truth very highly, like Gandhi. And he has the courage to speak the truth, however inconvenient, with complete humility, a quality which Gandhi had mastered very well but where most of us falter. This is what makes him different and also may be a reason why he still keeps his job and has won the admiration of even his opponents.

The Magsaysay Award will definitely bring more credibility to his work and hopefully some of the opposition from right wing forces, who are known to troll in an organised manner any sane voice in support of human rights, democracy, justice, communal harmony, peace and friendship, especially with Pakistan, and who’ve targeted Ravish in the past, will subside. He has received life threats, his number has been made public to cause him more harassment, to the extent that he had to write an open letter to the Prime Minister highlighting the names of people threatening him, just in case they came good with their threats. One can imagine the insecurity of his family under such circumstances.

However, the aura of Magsaysay is quite exaggerated in India than other countries of Asia, and outside of Asia very few people have heard of it, probably because there are many well known Indians who have won it. Part of the reason for its popularity in India is that it and its winners feature prominently in most General Knowledge books which are used by students preparing for competitive examinations. But the Magsaysay Foundation itself is not infallible, unlike its reputation.

I went to Manila in 2002 to receive the Magsaysay Award as well as participate in a Peace conference organised at the University there in the wake of impending US attack on Iraq. It was a mere coincidence that both events were happening on same dates. There was a demonstration outside the US Embassy the day after the Award ceremony. The chairperson of the Foundation asked me not to participate in the demonstration as it could tarnish its image. When I mentioned to her that my Magsaysay citation referred to my global peace march for nuclear disarmament from Pokaran to Sarnath in 1999 and my stand against wars and armament was well known, she said I was free to oppose my government but I should not oppose the US government in Manila. I argued that US was a bigger culprit in the game of warfare and I considered it part of my activism to oppose the US policy. Before landing in Manila I had little idea that the Foundation was completely US funded – by the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations. Obviously the Magsaysay foundation was quite uncomfortable with my stand.

The fears of Magsaysay Foundation came true. Even the Hindi Indian media back home covered the demonstration outside US Embassy in Manila highlighting my participation. An editorial in a Manila newspaper asked me to return the $50,000 Award money to the US Embassy before I returned to India if I was the principled man I wanted them to believe. I returned the cheque from the airport to the Magsaysay Foundation before embarking the plane out of Manila. I wanted to preserve my freedom to participate in the anti-Pepsi and Coca Cola movements going on in India on the issue of water table depletion which was a threat for farmers and not be questioned by the Magsaysay Foundation every time I took a stand contradictory to the US government, its policies or associated interests. Ironically, the same newspaper which raised a question on my stand, published an editorial after my departure lauding me for returning the money and saying that they too are opposed to US government policies. Copy of this editorial was sent to me by the Indian Ambassador in Philippines.

But the Award is prestigious and definitely is a protection against autocratic tendencies of the state and its cronies in India, especially for human rights defenders and upright journalists like Ravish Kumar. We hope that the right wing fundamentalists will take his view point more seriously and the media fraternity will start considering him as an ideal rather than an exception. He has now emerged as the hope for a free media in India and by extension a democratic polity. This is a victory of progressive forces, sanity and humanity and we must celebrate it. Most of all it is a victory for truth which has become a casualty in the era of post-truth. The post-truth has created only strife and conflicts. If we have to return to the human endeavour of making this world a better place for everybody, there is no option but to go back to recognizing truth as the most important values. In spite of Nathuram Godse having become a hero for a fringe group in this country, the universal ideal continues to be Mahatma Gandhi.

Sandeep Pandey is a social activist and Magsaysay award winner

Courtesy: Counter Current

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Screenshot: Prime Time with Ravish Kumar, May 9, 2018, NDTV. YouTube.

In India today, one cannot talk of science, history or politics without a reference to mythology. Godmen and astrologers make their daily pronouncements on the TV channels. So, how does one report the emergence of an independent journalist in a sea of embedded media. One attributes it to the divine intervening to reform His degraded profession!

Sorry, this outrageous statement was designed to make you read this piece on Ravish Kumar, a TV anchor from India. In order to be read or heard today, one has to shout and shock. In the confrontation-loving high-decibel society, the one who shouts the loudest wins.

Most newspaper readers have got addicted to hyperbole and rhetoric and the TV viewers to screaming anchors. Journalism promotes vitiated public discourse and falls victim to it. “On the other hand,” is a phrase banished from journalism. Fair journalists are hunted and silenced. Those of the other kind are bought and deployed to make maniac noises in favour of the ruling establishment and against its critics.

A sober beginning to this article would not have worked.  “Indian journalism in crisis” would strike no new note since this is not typical of India alone. America’s President is told every day that free press is essential for sustaining democracy.

Dark spots

The theme of this World Press Freedom Day on May 3 was “Keeping Power in Check: Media Justice and the Rule of Law”. One heard stirring calls on governments to strengthen press freedom, and to protect journalists. Many depressing headlines marked the occasion. One from India said: “Bastar journalist charged with sedition for sharing cartoon lampooning the government.” With seven complaints registered against reporters in one month, the police of the Chattisgarh state are notorious for acting against journalists. Old headlines of journalists murdered featured in opinion pieces.

The threats to press freedom even by the so-called democratic governments were discussed. Some references came up to the internal threat from within the profession. Veteran journalist Thalif Deen recalled that once a Malaysian politician, asked about the leading newspapers in his country, shot back: “We have only misleading newspapers”.

Reports about the dark spots carried references to fake news, enforced disappearances of journalists, authoritarian governments tightening grip on press freedom, getting away with murder in Slovakia, pre-election tension threatening free speech in Brazil, Azerbaijan blocking news websites, Kenyan journalists feeling heat, and to internet freedom rapidly degrading in Southeast Asia.

Hostile environment

There is a hostile environment in India in which Ravish Kumar and other independent journalists work. They are attacked by the devotees of the Modi Government. Ravish Kumar’s fans keep alerting him and wishing for his safety and security. Ravish Kumar works for a Hindi TV channel. Thanks to the translation of one of his books in English many more citizens can understand the dangers to democracy that he warns against in his Hindi programmes.

The Free Voice: Ravish Kumar on Democracy, Culture and the Nation is a more searing document than a Free Press Inquiry Commission Report. Of course, it is more interesting to read. The author recalls that within a few months in 2017, journalists were forced to gather twice to condemn violence against colleagues. In a sequel to this book, he will have to say, “our speeches made no difference as threats and violence against journalists continued or even increased”.

The chapter headings give a flavour of Ravish Kumar’s short book: The Robo-Public and the Building of a New Democracy. The National Project for Instilling Fear. Wherever a Mob Gathers is Hitler’s Germany.The Robo-Public and the Building of a New Democracy. The National Project for Instilling Fear. Wherever a Mob Gathers is Hitler’s Germany.

The book covers an area wider than just press freedom. Ravish Kumar refers to the wars for religious pride. He writes about the ongoing battles against what some radical Hindus call ‘Love Jihad’. “Every other day a handful of goons go on a rampage because a girl of one faith chooses to marry a boy of another faith.”

Internal threats to press freedom are not new. In many democratic countries, including India, advertisers and media owners diminished it. Some of the organisations fighting for press freedom during the cold war era never dealt with this internal threat. The state was their only target and change of regime their goal.

A western media mogul inspired his Indian counterparts to transform journalism into a profit-making ‘infotainment’ business. The media feeds the readers and viewers with what they supposedly want. The owners dumped the editors who thought the readers should be given what is good for them and for society! What the newspaper readers really want remains a controversial topic. The readers’ appetite can be whetted by titillating stories and images. If a tabloid prints a naked woman’s photo, its rival has to flash two women. It is said that readers of a British tabloid do not care who ruled the country as long as they see the photos of porn stars every morning!

Most TV anchors can be called the children of a former TV star, an American of Irish origin, who gained mass popularity for his extreme right-wing views and for his ability to silence his studio guests with insults. His pernicious influence afflicted a host of Indian TV journalists.

Badge of honour

Ravish Kumar seeks to counter such trends night after night, challenging his Hindi TV viewers to change to another channel if the issues of unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and sick hospitals and under-funded state schools do not interest them and if they are obsessed with the Hindu-Muslim debates engineered by the vote-grabbing politicians.

His selection of topics can bore the viewer looking for titillation. The disclosure that so many schools have neither teachers nor buildings and so many officially electrified villages turn dark at night may interest some concerned citizens. But most others want to know whether Rekha was seen with A or with B at last night’s Bollywood bash. So, Ravish Kumar’s news and discussion agenda drags his channel down in the ratings competition and affects its balance sheet. However, his channel wears it as a badge of honour and Ravish Kumar gets an honourable mention in select circles of media critics and enlightened TV watchers.

Screenshot: Ravish Kumar’s Speech On Fake News Order At Press Club Of India, April 2018. YouTube.

He refrains from using the formula to win the ratings war. Apart from politics, he covers education and health extensively, highlights public grievances, failures of the administration and hypocrisy of politicians. He does this effectively, gently and with a literary flair. Irony and satire mark his coverage at a time when many other journalists either lack this talent or dare not use it lest an intolerant government is offended. Ravish Kumar seeks to give voice to the powerless. He cajoles the powerful to hear the voices from the margins.

Such journalistic conduct was taken for granted once but “old-fashioned” journalism has gone out of fashion. Ravish Kumar is conscious of his profession’s failures and indulges in self-criticism. He distilled his disappointment in a memorable programme titled “TV stricken with TB”. That night, black screen was all that there was to see. A powerful commentary made up for the loss of picture. The surprised viewers were told that the black TV screen was not due to a technical problem but was designed to make a point!

Unleashing the Rottweilers

The risks that Ravish Kumar takes by practicing developmental journalism pale into insignificance when compared to the risk to his life and limbs that he takes by criticising the Modi Government. He is spared no threats, abuses and insults. And these are not just via the social media. He has been chased and his live interviews interrupted by bikers. After one such incident, he telecast a programme recreating the scene through computer graphics and images of menacing shadowy figures. It seemed like a thriller film clip.

Many others like Ravish Kumar face similar problems. The women journalists refusing to be embedded anger the ruling party activists even more. A minister calls them “presstitutes”. Not many fellow journalists protest. Some because they have been won over by the ruling establishment flaunting its power to punish and reward.

Ravish Kumar and his ilk work in a hostile environment. Dealing with independent journalists has been outsourced since official measures to curb press freedom attract too much frontal criticism. This kind of threat is new for India. It once went through a much darker but brief period when the state suppressed press freedom and arrested some dissenting journalists. That was when the Indira Gandhi Government declared Emergency and suspended the civil rights. Then the suppression of press freedom was blatant and was there for all to see. These days “crowds” deal directly with the critics of the government which may signal to the police force to look the other way.

This method is subtle and insidious and invites less criticism. When the state suppresses press freedom, it becomes an identifiable target for the NGOs and brave newspaper editors. The BJP-ruled Government of Rajasthan tried to curb press freedom through an official order but had to retreat in the face of powerful protests.

A safer strategy is to unleash state-sponsored or state-inspired Rottweilers against a few targeted journalists. Dissenters and critics can be silenced as easily by threats of physical and psychological violence delivered by goons personally or through social media, as by a local police inspector knocking at the door at midnight.

Debate abandoned

Once goons terrorise, discretion trumps bravery. Self-censorship attracts little attention and the government achieves its objective without getting blamed. This has become common in democracies where unconstitutional conduct against suspected terrorists is outsourced by the governments.

Reporting rising sectarian violence makes independent journalists more vulnerable. When the accused persons belong to a political outfit, the party activists attack the reporters. Ravish Kumar writes: “Today, the number of people who spread hatred by highlighting this reason or that or by exploiting various inequalities has increased exponentially.” He talks about the erosion of liberty and dignity, the undermining of the Constitution and democracy and the collapse of institutions.

Screenshot: Ravish Kumar Acceptance Speech ‘Journalist of the Year’, 2016. You Tube.

The author scrutinises the Government’s mal-intention and society’s response. It is a field report on the spurt in intolerance, hate and sectarianism. It is about an emerging dictatorial order underpinned by mobocracy and populist politics spreading like wildfire in this post-fact era. The tradition of debate and dialogue has been abandoned. To be a critic of the ruling establishment is to be the enemy of the nation.

Ravish Kumar records the proliferation of programmed Indians who can see only one face (that of the Prime Minister). “They are programmed to dismiss not only contrary opinion, but also discussion. They listen to nothing, they read nothing. Those who behold a different sight are enemies and traitors – in the context of India, they would be anti-Modi, anti-Hindu, anti-national.”

Robo-public

He continues: “Fake news first falsified news and journalism and it is now turning the citizens fake. The Robo-public is a fake public. A fake public makes a fake Republic, a fake political consciousness, a fake democracy.”

Ravish Kumar begins the book narrating his own encounter with fear that affects all those who speak out. He describes the deadly feeling while handling a report about the sudden death of a judge dealing with a case featuring allegations against a powerful politician who went on to become the President of the ruling party. Ravish Kumar chose to speak out.

Some honest police officers or independent judges protecting the powerless must have been gripped by a similar fear during their careers, but Ravish Kumar recalls his experience with a literary flair. So, his introduction to the book becomes a moving and frightening document.

He breaks the shuddering silence surrounding that sensitive news story. He delivers the sensitive report on NDTV concluding with the words: “Now whatever will be, will be”. The closing sentence, he says, was “for my viewers, and also for myself”. Having done the programme, he finds release from the fear that had held him in its suffocating grip for two days.

This independent journalist says he makes the journey from fear to courage every day. “My days start with the trolls’ abuses and threats and end with the thought that I should be careful for the sake of my job.”

Republic of Fear

The recent transformation of the nation into a Republic of Fear has been observed by all but only a few like Ravish Kumar have recorded it for posterity that will inherit an officially revised history of the nation, its religions, and its leaders.

The author says: Post 2014, the political winds began to change course. Criticism of the government began to be equated with criticism of the nation. A factory called the IT Cell was set up and many varieties of fear were manufactured inside its basement.

The trolls of the IT Cell mounted fierce attacks on anyone who dared to ask questions. They were called many things, from anti-nation, anti-religion to even pimps of the opposition media…. Even serving ministers began to attack reporters. The IT Cell (of the ruling party) rapidly transformed media into lapdog media. He notes that many anchors and journalists crept into the laps of power and began to sing praises of Prime Minister Modi.

Ravish Kumar refers to the IT Cell running the WhatsApp university that specialises in teaching fake and poisonous history. He quotes politicians threatening to kill critics or announcing rewards for their heads.

The threats to the freedom of the press, like the violation of human rights, used to cause greater concern in international fora and the western capitals during the cold war. These days the “international community” is not shocked by the murder of journalists in India or the threats to the freedom of the press. It is different if such incidents take place in a country that refuses to be a “strategic ally” or that has neither oil nor market to offer.

The recent Commonwealth summit in London did not take much notice of these issues. The Commonwealth Journalists Association and the Commonwealth Human Rights initiative tried in vain to sensitise the leaders to such problems in the member-nations. The activists should try and slip the reprint of the chapter “Speaking Out” into the pack of agenda papers of the summiteers at every forum! Ravish Kumar’s prose may move some of them.

This article was first published on opendemocracy.net.

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बीजेपी ने यह विज्ञापन एसोसिएशन फॉर डेमोक्रेटिक राइट्स(ADR) की जिस रिपोर्ट के आधार पर तैयार किया है,उसमें बीजेपी से लेकर कांग्रेस,शिरोमणी अकाली दल और आम आमदी पार्टी सहित 48 दलों के खातों का हिसाब है। रिपोर्ट में कहा गया है कि अज्ञात सोर्स से होने वाली आमदनी लगातार बढ़ रही है। पिछले दस सालों में 313 प्रतिशत का इजाफा हुआ है। क्षेत्रिय दलों में अज्ञात सोर्स से आमदनी में 600 प्रतिशत से अधिक का इजाफा हुआ है। राष्ट्रीय दल की आमदनी का 70 फीसदी हिस्सा अज्ञात सोर्स से आता है।

बीजेपी के इस विज्ञापन के हिसाब से बसपा अपने दानकर्ताओं के बारे में नहीं बताती है। चंदे में मिलने वाली सारी रकम 20,000 रुपये से कम की होती है जिससे वह दानकर्ता के नाम बताने के कानूनी दायित्व से मुक्त हो जाती है। आयकर कानून में ही यह प्रावधान है कि 20,000 रुपये से कम की राशि होगी तो आय का ज़रिया बताने की ज़रूरत नहीं है। इस हिसाब से राजनीतिक दल कोई कानून नहीं तोड़ते बल्कि इस कानून का लाभ उठाकर दानकर्तांओं या आमदनी का ज़रिया बताने से बच जाते हैं। यह काम सिर्फ बसपा ही नहीं करती बल्कि हाल फिलहाल वजूद में आई आम आदमी पार्टी भी करती है। कांग्रेस और बीजेपी तो इस खेल के कप्तान हैं।

हमने एडीआर की रिपोर्ट पर मीडिया रिपोर्टिंग देखी। ज़्यादतर रिपोर्ट में बसपा के इस 100 फीसदी को बड़ा करके छापा गया है। एक या दो अख़बार में ही इस बात का ज़िक्र मिला कि 100 फीसदी अज्ञात सोर्स से आमदनी करने वाली बसपा की कुल आमदनी कितनी है। बीजेपी के इस भ्रामक विज्ञापन की असलीयत समझने के लिए यह जानना ज़रूरी है कि अगर बसपा को अज्ञात सोर्स से सौ करोड़ मिले हैं तो बाकी दलों को क्या बिलकुल नहीं मिले हैं?

एडीआर के अनुसार 2004-05 से 2014-15 के बीच बसपा की ज्ञात सोर्स से आमदनी 5.19 करोड़ से बढ़कर 111.96 करोड़ हो जाती है। बसपा ने एक रुपये की राशि का हिसाब ज्ञात सोर्स से नहीं दिया है। यानी उसकी सौ फीसदी आमदनी अज्ञात सोर्स से होती है। क्या आप जानते हैं या बीजेपी ने इस विज्ञापन से बताया है कि अज्ञात सोर्स से सबसे अधिक कमाई किसकी होती है? जिस एडीआर की रिपोर्ट के सहारे बीजेपी ने सपा-बसपा को भ्रष्ट कहा है, उसमें दूसरे नंबर पर भाजपा है और पहले नंबर पर कांग्रेस है।कांग्रेस की आमदनी का 83 फीसदी हिस्सा अज्ञात सोर्स से आता है यानी 3,329 करोड़ रुपये। बीजेपी की आमदनी का 65 फीसदी हिस्सा अज्ञात सोर्स से आता है यानी 2,126 करोड़ रुपया। समाजवादी पार्टी की 94 फीसदी आमदनी अज्ञात सोर्स से होती है यानी 766 करोड़।

बीजेपी के अनुसार अगर अज्ञात सोर्स से 112 करोड़ कमाने वाली बसपा भ्रष्ट है तो अज्ञात सोर्स से 2126 करोड़ कमाने वाली बीजेपी क्या है। 100 करोड़ और 2000 करोड़ में फर्क होता है या नहीं होता है। क्या अज्ञात सोर्स से 2126 करोड़ की आमदनी करने वाली बीजेपी ईमानदार कही जाएगी? क्या बीजेपी अज्ञात सोर्स से 3,329 करोड़ की आमदनी करने वाली कांग्रेस को महाईमानदार मानती है? बीजेपी ने ही एडीआर की रिपोर्ट के आधार पर पैमाना बनाया है इसलिए जवाब भी उसी को देना चाहिए। बीजेपी ने किस हिसाब से ख़ुद को और कांग्रेस को इस पोस्टर से ग़ायब कर दिया है और बसपा-सपा को भ्रष्ट घोषित कर दिया है।

इस भ्रामक विज्ञापन के पीछे क्या यह मंशा रही होगी कि बसपा के न तो प्रवक्ता हैं न उनका कोई मीडिया सेल है इसलिए वो तो जवाब नहीं दे पायेंगे। कांग्रेस का नाम लेंगे तो प्रेस कांफ्रेंस भी हो जाएगा और वह छपेगा भी। इसके अलावा तो कोई कारण समझ नहीं आता है। यूपी बीजेपी का यह राजनीतिक विज्ञापन नोटबंदी के दौरान प्रधानमंत्री के उन आश्वासनों का भी अनादर करता है जब उन्होंने कहा था कि वे राजनीतिक दलों की फंडिंग पर खुली चर्चा चाहते हैं। हालांकि राजनीतिक दलों की फंडिंग पर कई साल से खुली चर्चा हो रही है, तमाम तरह की रिपोर्ट है फिर भी चर्चा की यह भावना कहीं से ठीक नहीं है कि एडीआर की रिपोर्ट का एक हिस्सा लेकर दूसरे दलों को भ्रष्ट ठहराया जाए और उसी रिपोर्ट में ख़ुद के ज़िक्र पर चुप रहा जाए। जाने अजनाने में बीजेपी ने इस विज्ञापन के ज़रिये एक अच्छा काम भी कर दिया है। यह स्वीकार किया है कि अज्ञात सोर्स से आमदनी राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार का ज़रिया है। एडीआर की रिपोर्ट का यह राजनीतिक इस्तमाल एडीआर के काम की विश्वसनीयता का प्रमाण बन गया है, भले ही राजनीतिक दल साल दर साल एडीआर की रिपोर्ट को अनदेखा करते रहे हों।

Courtesy: naisadak.org

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रोहित और उसके दोस्त बाहर आते हुए चुनौतियों से बेख़ौफ़ है क्योंकि उनकी ज़िंदगी का मकसद उनके साथ है। रोहित एक फ़िलॉसफ़र था। आज हमारे बीच होता तो आज़ाद भारत में पैदा हुए कांशीराम के बाद अंबेडकरवादी आंदोलन का सबसे बड़ा नायक बनता। जब पूरा भारत सांप्रदायिक शक्तियों के ख़ौफ़ से सहमा हुआ था, तब रोहित और उसके दोस्त हैदराबाद में चुनौती दे रहे थे। महान नेताओं के यही लक्षण होते हैं। अफ़सोस रोहित हमारे बीच नहीं है। वो चला गया मगर करोड़ो युवाओं को ख़ौफ़ से आज़ाद कर गया। काश वो होता तो आने वाले दिनों में आज़ादी और भी बड़ी होती।
 

रोहित वेमुला का सुसाइड नोट दरअसल एक राजनीतिक दस्तावेज़ है। फाड़ कर फेंक दिया जाने वाला काग़ज़ का टुकड़ा नहीं है । उसका प्रिंट आउट लेकर हर छात्र छात्रा को अपने कमरे में लगा देना चाहिए। जहाँ पर रोहित अपनी कहानी ख़त्म करता है, वहाँ से उसकी कहानी शुरू करने के लिए । रोहित का सुसाइड नोट राजनीतिक कार्यकर्ता को असरदार बनाता है। विद्यार्थी को धारदार बनाता है और एक प्रेमी को बेहतर प्रेमी।

" I loved Science, Stars, Nature, but then I loved people without knowing that people have long since divorced from nature. Our feelings are second handed. Our love is constructed. Our beliefs colored. Our originality valid through artificial art. It has become truly difficult to love without getting hurt.

The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing. Never was a man treated as a mind. As a glorious thing made up of star dust. In every field, in studies, in streets, in politics, and in dying and living."

" हमारी भावनाएँ दूसरे से उधार में मिली हुई हैं। हमारा प्यार बनावटी है। " मुझे यक़ीन है रोहित के इस सुसाइड नोट का अलग अलग संदर्भों में पाठ किया जाएगा, इस दुख के साथ कि 26 साल की उम्र का यह नौजवान अपनी सोच में कितना आगे था, उसके ख़्वाब कितने ख़ूबसूरत रहे होंगे, वो हम सबको बेहतर बनाने निकला था, क्या पता हम सबके दरवाज़े तब उसके लिए बंद रहे होंगे।

इसलिए ख़ुलापन और नयापन ज़रूरी है। रोहित की राह पर चलने के लिए ज़रूरी है कि नए तरीके से किया जाए। सोचा जाए। लिखे हुए को फिर से पढ़ा जाए और किये हुए की फिर से सख़्त समीक्षा हो। अनेक प्रकार के अंबेडकरवादी समूह हैं। आंदोलन हैं। उन सबका अपनाअपना मकसद है मगर सबका एक मकसद नहीं है। खोमचे खुल गए हैं। खाँचे बन गए हैं। ताक़तों का बँटवारा हो गया है। ज़रूरी हो कि सबकी सख़्त समीक्षा हो। ख़ूबसूरत सपने भी जड़ता के शिकार हो जाते हैं।

डरना हमारी ज़िंदगी का हिस्सा हो गया है। इस डर से आज़ाद करने वालों की तादाद बढ़ती रहनी चाहिए। छोटे छोटे खाँचों में असफल हुए तमाम आंदोलनों और नेताओं को हाथ मिला लेना चाहिए। ये वक्त व्हाट्स अप ग्रुप बना कर उसी में गुड मार्निंग और गुड ईवनिंग करने का नहीं है। व्हाट्स अप पर पोलिटिकल ग्रुप नहीं बनता है। सड़क पर उतरे बिना किसी भी राजनैतिक विचार का परीक्षण नहीं होता है। लिखने के माध्यमों की ताकत जरूरी है मगर बदलाव लिख कर नहीं आएगा। गली कूची में जाकर मिलकर बात करने से आएगा। बात पर बात ही न चले। बात के बाद आवाज़ भी उठे।

भारत की नौजवानी राजनीतिक रूप से जड़ता के दौर में है। वो उफान मारती है मगर साहिल से टकरा कर लौट जाती है। तर्कों का विस्तार कम हो गया है। उन भावनाओं को ही तर्क समझ लिया गया है जिसे रोहित बनावटी कहता था। आंदेलनकारी छात्रों के कमरे में किताबें तो हैं मगर रोहित की तरह चमकते तारों को देखते हुए ख़्वाब देखने का फ़न नहीं है। हर नौजवान को ख़ुद से पूछना चाहिए। उसका सपने क्या हैं? उसके सपने कहाँ हैं ? वो सपने क्यों देखते हैं? क्या सपने सिनेमा हैं जिन्हें तीन घंटे के बाद भुला दिया जाना चाहिए?

हम सब पर घटिया राजनीति थोपी गई है। घटिया नेता थोपे गए हैं। थोड़ी बहुत आलोचना के बाद हम उन्हीं में से बेहतर खोज लेते हैं। नई बहस की गुज़ाइश नहीं है। सड़ी गली भावनाओं के आहत होने का दौर है। कुछ नया चाहिए। कुछ ताज़ा चाहिए। ऐसा कुछ कि एक आँधी उठे और पुराने पेड़ उखड़ जायें। नए की गुज़ाइश बने।

डरने वालों को दिन में दो बार बाबा साहब की तस्वीर हाथ में लेकर हॉस्टल से निकलने का अभ्यास करना चाहिए। बेफ़िक्री को जीना शुरू कीजिये। कुछ जाता है तो जाने दीजिये। दाँव पर लगाने वाला बाज़ी हार कर प्रेस को फोन नहीं करता है। वो अगली जीत का ख़ाका बनाने लगता है। ऐसे लाखों दीवानों का मानवचक्र बन जाना चाहिए। एक के साथ सब लड़े और सबके साथ हरेक लड़े।

आप किसी के सुसाइड नोट से एक साल बाद भी यूँ ही कोट नहीं कर देते हैं। हमारी
सोचने समझने की तमाम सीमाओं तक पहुँच कर
हर तरह के आंदोलनों में जड़ता आती है।
रोहिता वेमुला की याद में इस साल बीते तमाम वर्षों के समतामूलक समाज निर्माण की संघर्षों का मूल्याँकन होना चाहिए।
 
(यह आर्टिकल डॉ. ओम सुधा के ब्लॉग चौबटिया से साभार लिया गया है।)

The post बाबा साहब के साथ रोहित वेमुला की तस्वीर हर स्टूडेंट के कमरे में होनी चाहिए appeared first on SabrangIndia.

मैं इन नामों को सरनेम के हिसाब से देखने लगा। सिंह सरनेम को लेकर चूक हो सकती है क्योंकि कई जाति के लोग सिंह सरनेम रखते हैं। इसे बाद में सुधार कर लिया जाएगा लेकिन सिंह को मुख्य रूप से ठाकुर मान लें तो इस सूची में सवर्ण ही ज़्यादा हैं। चोटी की तीन श्रेणियों के सभी 12 प्रवक्ता सवर्ण हैं। 27 प्रवक्ताओं में से 10 प्रवक्ता ब्राह्मण हैं। आप सूची देखेंगे तो मिंश्रा,दुबे,शुक्ला,दीक्षित और त्रिपाठी सरनेम का बोलबाला है। यह सरनेम बताते हैं कि पार्टी में किस जाति के लोग सहज रूप से फलते फूलते हैं।

दूसरी सवर्ण जातियों में कायस्थ और राजपूत हैं। इनकी संख्या सात है।जैसा कि मैंने कहा कि सिंह सरनेम को लेकर चूक हो सकती है और कुछ नामों का पता ही नहीं चला। सत्ताईस प्रवक्ताओं में 17 सवर्ण ही हुए,जिनमें ब्राह्मण सबसे अधिक हैं।
27 प्रवक्ताओं में दो महिलाएं हैं।श्रीमती अनिला सिंह और बरेली की डाक्टर दीप्ति भारद्वाज।दीप्ति भारद्वाज भी ब्राह्मण प्रतीत होती हैं। अगर सही है तो 27 प्रवक्ताओं में ब्राह्मण प्रवक्ताओं की संख्या 11 तक पहुँचती लगती है। मीडिया पैनल यानी टीपी की बहसों में जाने वाले 15 प्रवक्ताओं की श्रेणी में एक नाम जाटव समाज से है।बुलंदशहर के मुंशीलाल गौतम। गौतम अच्छे नेता और प्रवक्ता माने जाते हैं। दो नाम कोरी समाज से है। देवेश कोरी और बृजलाल कोरी। मथुरा के भुवनभूषण कोमल नाई समाज से आते हैं। अब क्या इस पर ख़ुश होना पड़ेगा कि चलो कृपा तो हुई, मौका तो दिया! देखना है कि टीवी की बहसों में जाटव,कोरी और नाई समाज के नेताओं को कितना बुलाया जाता है या वे नाम के लिए ही हैं। पार्टी ही तय करती है कि किस चैनल में कौन प्रवक्ता जाएगा।

मीडिया पैनल में ग़ाज़ियाबाद के रूप चौधरी का नाम है। पूर्व पत्रकार और पूर्व विधायक रूप चौधरी मीडिया का काम करते रहे हैं और अच्छे प्रवक्ता है।रूप चौधरी गुर्जर समाज से आते हैं।इनसे मिलने का मौका मिला है और घोर राजनीतिक हैं।दफ़्तरी प्रवक्ता नहीं है। इतने सीनियर व्यक्ति का नाम सबसे आख़िर में है। सूची में एक मुसलमान हैं।पूर्व क्रिकेटर मोहसिन रज़ा।मोहसिन रज़ा तो टीवी प्रादेशिक स्टुडियो में जाते भी रहे हैं।रज़ा कभी राजनाथ सिंह को माला पहनाते दिखते हैं तो कभी स्मृति ईरानी का स्वागत करते हुए।मौर्य के साथ तो दिखते ही हैं। सक्रिय नेता हैं।

हफ्ता भर पहले IBN 7 न्यूज चैनल से भाजपा में आए शलभमणि का नाम 27 प्रवक्ताओं की सूची में पहले नंबर पर है। हर किसी को चुनावी राजनीति में किस्मत आज़मानी चाहिए।कोई पत्रकार ग़ैर भाजपा दलों में जाता तो उनके पीछे अनगिनत ऑनलाइन मच्छर छोड़ दिये जाते।ऑनलाइन गैंग व्हाट्स अप की दुनिया में बवाल मचा देता कि पहले पत्रकारिता बेच रहे थे,अब उस पार्टी का माल बेचेंगे।दलाल वग़ैरह कहना तो छोटी मोटी बात हो गई है।शलभ का प्रवक्ताओं की सूची में पहले नंबर पर आना भाजपा और संघ को लेकर रचे गए कई मिथकों को तोड़ता है।यही कि संगठन है,विचारधारा है,ट्रेनिंग है।एक से एक प्रवक्ता हैं।अगर ऐसा है तो हफ्ता भर पहले आया शख्स अव्वल कैसे आ गया?शलभमणि को बधाई और शुभकामनायें।चाहूँगा कि वे चुनाव लड़ें और जीतें और जब दूसरा पत्रकार ग़ैर भाजपा दल में जाए तो ऑनलाइन गैंग से मुक़ाबला करें कि वे उन्हें दलाल न कहें। शलभ बच गए कि वो बीजेपी में गए हैं वर्ना उनका सोशल मीडिया पर उनकी ही पार्टी के समर्थक बुरा हाल कर देते। लगता है कि मीडिया को तटस्थता सीखाने वाला दल न्यू ईयर की पार्टी मना रहा है! गुड लक शलभ।

कांग्रेस और सपा की तरफ से ऐसी सूची जारी हुई तो उनका भी इसी तरह विश्लेषण करूँगा।बसपा इस तरह की कोई सूची जारी नहीं करती है। भाजपा की यह सूची काफी कुछ कहती है। प्रवक्ता ही पार्टी के दैनिक और सार्वजनिक चेहरे होते हैं। भाजपा में पिछड़े और अति पिछड़े नेतृत्व पर ज़ोर दिया जा रहा है। चुनाव जीतने के लिए इस तबके के नेताओं को खूब टिकिट भी दिये जा रहे हैं। जब इस तबके से चुनाव लड़ने वाले उम्मीदवार मिल जाते हैं तो प्रवक्ता क्यों नहीं मिल सकते हैं?प्रदेश अध्यक्ष ख़ुद अति पिछड़ा समाज से हैं। प्रधानमंत्री पिछड़े तबके से हैं। चुनाव में उम्होंने ही बताया था कि वे पिछड़े तबके से है। नेता मिल जाता है मगर प्रवक्ता नहीं। ये सूची भारतीय जनता पार्टी की कम ब्राह्मण प्रवक्ता पार्टी की ज़्यादा लगती है।

Courtesy: Naisadak.org
 

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