The I&B ministry is planning to set in guidelines for the TV news channels hoping terrorist attacks will be covered with more sensitivity next time around. Does that somehow seem utopian?

Ever since the rise of television from the mid-90s, television news channels have covered everything thrown at them with an aim to cover all the denominators of the pluralistic Indian society. Somewhere, it got aspirational and so stories on village rapes and Dalit feuds got replaced with health shows and size-zero stories.

In recent times, apart from the story of Prince falling in a bore well, there has been no attempt to understand why news channels have leapfrogged to classism than consumerism, considering that a vast majority of Indians belong to the masses, not classes. This could be because the terror attack in Mumbai was aimed at the classes, what with foreign nationals and two of Mumbai’s biggest hotels under attack.

This meant that news channels instinctively picked up that they could target the upper class with relentless coverage and keep the masses involved by showing the destruction of an aspirational society with its utter helplessness and great-leveller style of talking to the audience.

This means, while English news channels went all out and actually created the rage against the system (and jingoism, by way of Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai and Arnab) seen across the world today, Hindi news channels showed how the attack made even the motley group of rich people in the country as vulnerable to an attack as any of them.

Forming any guidelines has to walk the tightrope of ensuring that democratic rights of the fourth estate are not trampled upon even as the rules should ensure that news channels do not give out sensitive information to aid terrorists and broadcast insensitive videos of traumatized and brutalized victims.

The guidelines should also have enough bite to ensure proper coverage along the lines of BBC (especially in the immediate aftermath of the 7/7 attacks) as well as pass muster amongst democrat hawks to ensure that it doesn’t make an error such as the Broadcasting Bill. Ideally, the Press Council should call up errant channels and hand out guidelines and submit a copy to the I&B ministry. But of course, our ministers like to put their hands where they are never required than put it to work in the way it should work.

In this age of glocalization, everyone’s eyes will be on what the guidelines will be, which of course will be broadcast from our TV networks.

Popularity: 10%

The last 10 days have been very testing for Indians. The events in Mumbai were very depressing and Indians world over reacted with anguish and vented their anger against a system that failed to prevent the outrageous acts in Mumbai. But the subsequent events have shown that despite all that is wrong in this country, there is still hope for us Indians.

Here is why.

Assembly election turnout:

Despite the resentment of voters towards politicians, people turned out in large numbers to cast their votes and make sure their voice is heard. The polling numbers were at record high and reached as high as 70% in Madhya Pradesh. Even in J&K, the turnout has been very high by historical standards.

This once again proved the faith of Indians in the democratic process. The vibrancy of our democracy seems to be getting better.

Election results:

The most impressive part of the elections is that the electorate gave a balanced verdict.  While pundits will discuss endlessly about which party won and which party lost(actual and psychological battles), the real winner is once again Indian democracy. Voters appear to be making more informed decisions and are not swayed by rhetoric. In 3 states (Delhi, MP and Chhattisgarh), the incumbent Chief Minister won.

All these 3 CMs promised good governance and development and delivered on their promise. 

These leaders were low profile, displayed a sense of humility and worked with discipline towards producing positive results. They are good examples of Level 5 leadership.

These CMs gained the trust of the electorate because they worked towards improving the life of these people. It is very satisfying to see that the electorate are becoming more assertive and are demanding accountability from the people they elect.

Kashmir

The people of Kashmir came out in large numbers to vote. While this cannot be construed as a wholehearted support for the Indian position on Kashmir, people there are expressing their choice and are resorting to more peaceful means to get their voice heard.

Mumbai terror aftermath

The objective of terrorists was to break the psyche of the nation and to plunge the nation into riots. But the Indian public showed extraordinary restraint in their reaction to the terror attacks. Despite the enormous anger against the security lapses, Indians did not resort to violence. They came out in thousands on the streets to express their sympathies and to show solidarity with the victims.  

Their anguish and fury were vented in a remarkably peaceful way but with great effect.

Politicians were forced to resign (Shivraj Patil, Vilasrao Deshmukh, RR Patil),  apologize for their insensitive remarks( V.S. Achuthananthan) and admit the lapses in the security apparatus (P. Chidambaram).

Muslims  came out in great numbers to denounce Pakistan and showed us why we are a great country despite our differences and mistakes. 

The business community exhibited resilience and the stock market held its own by shrugging off the negative sentiment associated with terror attacks. We must also be thankful to the security forces (despite all the criticisms heaped on them) for preventing the razing down of Taj Hotel. A total destruction of Taj would have been a symbolic victory to the terrorists but fortunately we can continue to cherish its heritage and beauty.

World Opinion

The whole world saw the 3 days of carnage live on TV and was appalled by what was happening.  Some of my American colleagues expressed their surprise on seeing how ill-equipped our police were in fighting(with their old guns) these well armed terrorists with AK47s. But, they also expressed their sympathy and solidarity in fighting terror. The world media did talk about the Kashmir issue. But they also supported India’s stand against Pakistan and urged world leaders to force Pakistan to act quickly in nabbing the terrorists. The pressure showed on Pakistan and they have apparently arrested the masterminds of the attacks.

Does it mean that all is well?  - Not at all.

The government institutions are drowned in corruption. The election process is still soaked in casteism, religion and linguistic jingoism. Tickets are still distributed based on caste and not competence.  However, the elections results have given a glimmer of hope and if each one of us plays his/her role as responsible citizens, we can slowly improve the system. At the end of the day, we get the leaders we deserve.  

So, instead of just talking and predicting doomsday scenarios like some  pundits  , if we vote for  good governance and competence, we can change our own future.

Signing off with lots of hope and optimism for the future of India.

Jai Hind.

India is Special !!!

Popularity: 17%

Last 55 hours India has faced its worst ever crisis. 15-20 terrorists took Mumbai under siege. As many as 150 people killed including several High Profile Cops, Army Jawans, The Taj burning, gunfires, grenades, AK 47s, and god knows what not.

Mumbai is burning. India is angry. Pakistan seems to have a hand.

One man who had spoken for the Marathi Manoos and lampooned North & South Indians left, right and center seems to have hidden behind the curtains. No one heard his voice. He seems to have chickened out.

It needed the strong brave army of National Security Guards consisting of mainly North & South Indians to save his Marathi Manoos.

Raj Thackeray – Today, your head should bow in shame. So much for your regional jingoism !

What have you done for the Marathi Manoos ? Attended them at the hospital with a few hundred cameramen around you so that the whole world could see your drama, your crocodile tears ?

Where were you  when there was fierce gun battle in front of The Oberoi, The Taj and The Nariman House ?

Your party is called Maharashtra NavNirman Sena. And I thought Sena means Army – No ? The name “Sena” is a shame for you and your partyworkers.

What NavNirman are you talking about ? NavNirman means Rebuilding. We don’t want people like you to rebuild once it is fallen. We want people like Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Kalaskar who would lay down their lives and not let the morale of the Marathi Manoos fall.

We want leaders with a vision. Not one who would pitch against each other for every petty thing.

Go learn something from the Army, from the Jawans, from the guards who laid down their lives for Mumbai. They didn’t talk of South India or North India. They talked as if they belonged to one nation – India – Their India.

Raj, it is high time that you gave up your utopian concept of a Marathi boundary filled with Marathi Manoos. We are Indians first.

For heaven’s sake – Stop Your Regional Jingoism !

Popularity: 33%

You can love him or curse him or worship him. But you can never ignore him – The scion of  Senas, the messaiah of the poor, the Robinhood of the chawl, the Kingpin of Maharashtra – Call him whatever you want, he is definitely in the news for all reasons – wrong or right I don’t know. But that’s Raj Thakeray for you.

He moves like a kingpin, his followers are spread across Maharashtra and the country. Opposition is extremely careful in dealing with him. Media loves him as he creates some very important TRP for them. Employees worship him and so is the unemployed.

Centre dubbed him and said “Raj Thakeray is the symbol of regional terrorism“. He does it openly, dares the government and continues to hurl attacks on celebrities, businessmen and politicians alike. Even the civilians are not spared. Explain why, otherwise, innocent people are beaten to death or ransacked or ripped like nobody’s business.

If you have seen Godfather-1,2 or 3, then you don’t need analogies. Raj is to real life what Al Pacino is to reel life.

Wonder if we would have to live in a country where one man decides the fate of a million others. If Bal Thakeray was the abysmal force of the regional jingoism for over three decades in Maharashtra, then Raj is the uncrowned king in current affairs in Maharashtra.

The way things are going, I will not be surprised if there is widespread violence all over the country.

In the last two days, there has been so much of national coverage about his arrest. I read about his arrest on IBNLive on Tuesday and now, I read that within minutes of the news of his arrest, there were hooliganisms across Maharashtra – burning vehicles, ransacked shops, injured civilians etc. Even journalists are not being spared.

And if you thought Police took pride in arresting him, hear this out, as one of the bloggers said.

I have never seen anything like this. The Maharashtra Police has turned the arrest of an upstart of a MNS politician into a media event. They are doing their best to make him into a hero by giving his cohorts and the time to plan, reorganize, and rebuild their strategies in the event of his arrest. It is a tactical blunder and the most stupid thing to do in these circumstances.

I am yet to see a politician or any individual speak up against Raj.

Yes, there have been a few instances of Laloo shouting at the top of his voice or the Bihar CM crying foul from a few thousand miles away.

In Maharashtra, everyone seems to have given it up on Raj. Even the business clan has budged in to this jingoistic trends – How else would you explain a sobbing Naresh Goyal, with pseudo tears in his eyes, welcomed his so-called extended family back to work ? He is ready to lose Rs.20 crores a day but not ready to take head-on with the man who stands between him and bankruptcy.

If a solution is not found immediately, then the India of our dreams will remain a distant dream. There would be widespread violence, regional fights owing to regional jingoism – We have already been divided into 30 odd states.

Now there is an effort to further divide us. Our unity is definitely under threat. We were Indians first and then Biharis, Marathis, Malayalees, Telugus etc. Looks like that order will be reversed soon- thanks to the ever growing regional jingoism.

With every passing day it is seemingly becoming difficult to lead a normal life, added to the woes of the financial crisis, surge in petro prices, increase in realty prices , stock market crash and what not.

Sometimes I wonder – Is it the return of the Jungle Raj ?

For now, take this – Raj goes to jail, gets bail, now ready to hail – All within minutes. Howzzatt ?

Ram Gopal Verma – By the way, are you thinking of Sarkar Raj 3 ?

Popularity: 9%