Responsibility of the Media and the Repercussions of Terror Strikes - Terrorism in India, Indian Mujahideen, Bangalore Blasts, Ahmedabad Blasts, Bombs

Ahmedabad and Bangalore now withstanding, the problem faced by many civilians is the unprecedented security cover and checks across a majority of the towns across India. This is especially true for places which have borne the brunt of bomb blasts in the past year. Places like Hyderabad, Jaipur, Malegaon, Lucknow, Fiazabad and the list unfortunately keeps getting longer and longer. The worst part of all this is the cluelessness of the intelligence and the police, not to mention the state and central governments in identifying the people responsible. With the frequency of the attacks becoming alarmingly high, the people demand answers and more importantly demand safety at public places (which the law guarantees). The most surprising reaction by authorities and now sadly the Indian media is blaming organisations and taking names which are so stereotyped that most people have lost faith.

The Fourth Estate (as the media especially newspapers claim that they are) is supposed to be a watchdog democracy and serve a social function of informing the society. I agree this is too idealistic to expect anymore but at least may we expect, that we will not be mislead, in the information we get from the media. Newspapers still enjoy a higher level of trust when compared to their television counter but lose out on the immediacy of the delivery. The Indian media (especially television) is much too focussed on sensationalism and hype rather than actual investigative reporting or just knowing when to shut up. The fact of television is highlighted by the many times television news reporters ask the mourning members of the recently deceased, “Aap ko kaise lag raha hai?” This fact has been mocked and ridiculed many a time in many popular feature films (Bollywood and regional).

The media has to be responsible in their actions, after the most unfortunate bombings in Bangalore, Karnataka and Ahmedabad, Gujarat all the news came up with was unconfirmed reports from sources in the Intelligence Bureau about SIMI, LeT and HuJI being responsible for the attacks. If I had a penny for every time these names were spoken on news channels and written about in newspapers (including headlines) I would be laughing all the way to the bank with millions. The day after the blast the largest circulated English daily the Times of India had the headline “Cops see SIMI-HuJI imprints; toll 49.” The easiest way for authorities to answer a visibly angered public is lay the blame on the ISI then later on organizations supported by them. While it sounds believable that covert operations by the ISI may be responsible, the intelligence agencies and the news media have little or no proof (when they have no clue how can there be proof?) What is forgotten in the attempt to pacify the people is that there is no restraint in labelling a community responsible. This was evident in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots whose effects are still being felt for those who suffered the assault.

South-Asians blame the United States for racial profiling when it comes to security checks by the TSA (Transport Security Administration) and the Department of Homeland Security after 9/11 but they remain unabashed in their discrimination being a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian does not matter as the look is more in focus. So it is a pity that those who have borne the brunt of being more thoroughly checked because of their colour and name ignoring the actual threats or being sent to a different line for checking, being detained because of some sweet and food brought from the subcontinent, do not mind a similar profiling being done by police at the local level. This is the heights of suspicion and should not be tolerated as the roots of this are in misinformation and sensationalised news reporting. Granted that the media did play a key role in highlighting the injustice (and inaction) during the Gujarat Riots, Mumbai blasts, Babri Masjid, Mecca Masjid blast, Gokul Chaat and Lumbini Park blasts in Hyderabad (and the list sadly continues) but they are spreading subtle messages of propaganda without realising the effect.

The problem I have with the media and the police is related to two incidents involving my Muslim friend and me in the wake of the Mecca Masjid and Gokul Chaat blasts (within a couple of months of each other) in Hyderabad. My friend a Muslim curiously in no way related to spreading Islamic Fundamentalism, encouraging conversions or the blasts (in fact he celebrates Diwali at my house) whose car was pulled for a routine check while we were on our way to a Spanish class at the Ramakrishna Math (the Hindu organisation founded by Swami Vivekananda). The police (a circle inspector, who was Muslim and few constables) asked him (who was driving) his name and after he replied asked both of us to step out and open the trunk of the car. Both of us obliged keeping the security situation in mind. I was asked my name by one of the constables and stood by the passenger side of the car without any further questions asked. I noticed later that my friend was nowhere near the trunk and not to be seen. I tried calling his phone but no answer he turned up 15 minutes later and he told me his phone was taken away to the side outside the view of the public and he was aggressively questioned about where he was going at that time and why. Visibly disappointed we continued to the class.

A week later we got pulled over again close to the earlier spot and this time the inspector was different, though this time the Hindu was ready in his defence. A few heated words were exchanged between the inspector and me, which led to us being let off with just a car check. This made me wonder if educated people aware of their rights were treated like this then what about the uneducated and less informed or worst Muslims from Kashmir. The situation seems bleak and the police and intelligence services should coordinate with the media to stop the spread of such treatment meted out to the people instead of encouraging it.

ProVFX Visual Effects and Editing School has been written by Pranay Rupani who is a Freelance Writer