Chandigarh: A blast had taken place inside the premises of a Nirankari Bhawan in village Adliwal near Rajasansi in Amritsar district. According to report the blast was triggered by two persons by throwing a hand grenade inside the dera. The Indian TV channels are playing dangerous and dirty games at the pretext of reporting the incident.
News18 Punjab Showcased Fake Sketches:
A screenshot from News18 Punjab website | screenshot captures on November 19, 2018 at 9:55 PM Amritsar Times when the page was last accessed | The screenshot is reproduced for sake of illustration to show that how Sikh faces were highlighted under the garb of sketches whereas Punjab CM himself clarified that no such sketches were issued
News18 Punjab, a TV channel by Network 18, started playing so-called sketches of culprits who had triggered the blast. The so-called sketches looked more like real photographs and were shown on prime channels of Network 18 also.
No Sketches Issued, Clarifies Punjab CM:
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh with Punjab Police Chief Suresh Arora and others
When media persons asked about Punjab CM Capt. Amarinder Singh that if any such sketches were issued by the police or the government he said that no such sketches were issued. He added that when people had covered their faces what would be scope for any such sketches.
No CCTV Footage Released But Media Channels Play it out:
The TV channels, including the NewsX, News 18 Punjab and Zee News (there may be other channels also) showed alleged CCTV footage capturing the suspects of the incident.
A screenshot from Zee News video | Screenshot taken on Nov. 19, 2018 at 9.59.23 PM Amritsar Times when the video was last accessed by the SSN
But on being asked about the CCTV footage by Amritsar based journalists, the Amritsar rural SSP Paramraj Singh denied having release any such CCTV footage.
Indian Media Targets Canadian Ministers, British MPs and a member of House of Lords:
Another TV channel called NewsX showed photographs of Canadian defence minister Harjeet Singh Sajjan, another Canadian minister Amarjit Singh Sohi, British Sikh MPs Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi and Preet Kaur Gill and Britain House of Lords member Ahmed Nazir and flashed name ofBritish Sikh organization Sikh Federation UK in its news/propaganda report which maintained that the attack was result of “foreign” link. The report also showed the fake CCTV footage of suspects. As mentioned earlier the officer incharge of the police district, i.e. the SSP denies that any such CCTV footage having released. NewsX also labeled arrested Briton Jagtar Singh Jaggi as “terrorist”.
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.01.44 PM Amritsar Time
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.01.57 PM Amritsar Time
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.02.06 PM Amritsar Time
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.02.17 PM Amritsar Time
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.02.23 PM Amritsar Time
A screenshot from NewsX video | Screen Shot captured on 2018-11-19 at 10.02.37 PM Amritsar Time
Media Propagating Fake News & Baseless Allegations:
The TV news reports are flooding out propaganda against the Sikhs under the grab reporting on the attack. The TV channels are repeating the baseless allegations and repeatedly showing fake sketches and fake CCTV footages. Interesting no TV report has shown a single person from any investigation agency or the police saying who could support their allegations.
Embedded Journalism:
This sort of reporting is a serious matter as it attempts to demonise the Sikhs. Books like “June 84 Di Pattarkari” (‘Journalism of June 1984’ in Gurmukhi/Punjabi) and “Embedded Journalism – Media’s Projection of Sikhs as Demons” (in English) have documented the evidence that how the Indian media had practised embedded journalism to demonise the Sikhs during 1980s and 1990s.
Today’s reporting show that the things have not improved since then instead they have worsen many fold as now the media’s reach has expanded with 24×7 news/propaganda channels.
