Articles/Opinion

Indian media once again on its’ toes to construct “public opinion” and marginalize struggling people

April 11, 2010 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau

Indian media, by its nature and under the influence of those who control it, voluntarily opts to stand by the Indian State and its’ actions to suppress struggles of ethnic people. In 1980s media was proactive in gathering support for brutal attack by Indian Army on Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar to suppress Sikh Struggle. There were other events too.

Now it is playing same role when Indian state is at war with tribal people fighting for their livelihood and dignity. Articles favouring state’s actions are common to be seen in various dailies in India. One of them, published in a major daily of India, pleads that “We have reached the turning point”, after Dantewara incident. Writer has on his own concluded that “people” have reached at such a turning point that they are now saying that enough is enough, and many of those (educated Indians) who have previously been ambivalent about government’s offensive against the Maoists for a variety of reasons, now, they will concede that “there is no alternative” than a military operation.

Writer even went to suggest the State, though indirectly, that it must not bother about instant reaction from public against military action, as “initially, the insurgents argue that all this will work in their favour: The army is ensuring that the ordinary people turn against it. But in the long run – whether in Punjab or Mizoram – ordinary people tire of being trapped in an endless conflict and public sentiments inevitably turn against militants.”

These types of articles or writings are part of game plan which is already being played in struggle ‘affected’ areas, to which media refer as Red Corridor. Unreasonable violence is not to be tolerated in any society, but here in case of tribal people’s struggle no one can ignore factors of state oppression and exploitation of indigent people. “Killing of 76 is termed massacre, but extra-judicial executions of more than 25 thousand in Punjab by way of custodial deaths, enforced disappearances and fake encounters has never been a matter of concern for this section of media.” Now a question arises that how responsible and independent a section of media could be for whom 76 of state matters a lot but 25 thousands of struggling people never matters? A question here is that how the ‘opinion’ of those could be taken as independent, who cry on violence by non-state actors but keeps mum over the violence by state?

Turing back towards reasons behind the struggle and going on with military action with blind force may give some success in suppressing or eliminating the some of struggling people, but it will never succeed in solving the ‘real problem’. Unless reasons are removed, struggle is bound to continue.

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Related Topics: Indian Meida, Indian State

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