There are four English newspapers published from Chennai and
other centres in Tamil Nadu, of which two were founded and thriving for several
decades and the other two set their feet some years ago to cover the people of the
state in their readership. Of these dailies, one has vowed to promote the cause
of the present ruling party and the ego of its supremo, many a times even
humbling the ADMK organ in sycophancy; and another daily trying to compete with
it as and when even a slightest opportunity opened up. However there is one
aspect in common for all these four ‘well-informed and intellectual’ dailies.
For instance, on May 20, the most important political news
published in the Chennai editions of all these dailies was ‘West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee walking off the stage where a discussion hosted by
television channel CNN-IBN on May 18 evening being recorded, angered by
questions from the participant university students, on the increasing attack on
women in the state, the infringement of
democratic rights by the authorities and the police action following the
recently circulated e-mail by a Jadavpur Professor with graphics directed at
her.’ In one daily that was the lead headline news with photograph of the
incident, on the first page.
The news channel had arranged that programme on the eve of
Mamata Banerjee’s rule in the state completing one year in office, with the
announcement that it was a face-to-face with the Chief Minister for students of
universities whomsoever, of course with
prior enrolment with the channel, and that the participants could pose any
questions to the Chief Minister and the programme would be moderated by the
CNN-IBN channel’s deputy editor Sagarika Ghose. During the course of the
programme losing patience at one point due to intrusive questions of the
enlightened students, mostly post-graduate and research students, she staged a
walk-out in a huff.
That was enough for these dailies to take on Mamata
Banerjee, their favourite target for criticism, condemnation, ridicule and
unsolicited advices and suggestions for some months now, and there were columns
and columns of reports on pages after pages. Expectedly from the next day there
were splashes of editorials, news analyses, columns by their enlightened
columnists, sarcastic articles, cartoons etc., in these dailies taking a dig at
her and condemning her ‘intolerant attitude’, ‘anti-democratic’ action etc., So
many highly critical columns and editorials, sarcastic commentaries etc., are
published regularly on the reckless and irresponsible blabberings of West
Bengal TMC ministers.
All that are well! Because they are the patrons and
protectors of freedom of speech and opinion, democracy, healthy public debates,
cultured political discourse and all other values!
But, should not these dailies, which publish their issues
from Chennai and other cities for the ‘benefit’ and ‘enlightenment’ of the
people of Tamil Nadu, show some of the concern shown for the people of West
Bengal and to people Tamil Nadu render justice atleast for their readers?
The Chief Minister here has also completed one year in
office and celebrating her ‘achievements’. These dailies are reaping the
‘benefits’ of the mega celebration in the forms of one first page ad and five
more full page ads in inner pages on May 16, and everyday so far 2-3 pages of
advertisements – one of a government department and the others as ‘Advertorial
and Promotional Features’ and ‘Marketing Features’. We don’t know for how many
more days these ads will be released!
Will any of the 100 plus television channels in India come
forward to arrange an ‘Open House’ programme in which anyone can participate
and pose any question, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister as the Chief Guest? Even
if any channel dare to come forward, will the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister agree
to participate?
Why do these super-scholarly English dailies, publishing so
many news reports and critical columns about the speeches and actions of Mamata
Banerjee and her Cabinet colleagues in West Bengal, voluntarily close their
eyes and ears to the arrogance, atrocities, megalomania, vindictiveness,
whimsicality, authoritarian attitude etc., of Jayalalitha, the absurdities of
her minion ministers, thousands of crores of rupees of people’s tax money
drained for the whims and fancies of an individual, the education of over one
crore school children devastated, over 13,000 families left is lurch, Tamil
Nadu facing unprecedented judicial strictures by any state in the history of
Independent India, courts disposing all that the Chief Minister proposes, the
prestigious Tamil Nadu Assembly being turned into Bhajan Mutt and democracy
trampled, the bureaucracy and police and ministers, shuffled and reshuffled so
frequently that everyone in the government feel insecure resulting in
administrative paralysis, investors reluctant to deal with this one-person
government/ administration… the list of Tamil Nadu’s woes go on.
But these English dailies not only spare Jayalalitha of even
any slightest criticism but for reasons best known to them try to project her
for most undeserving capacities. Conveniently forgetting their blistering
attack on her role during those 13 fateful months in 1998 and 1999 when she
held the NDA government led by A.B.Vajpayee, for ransom and brought it down for
not obliging to her personal demands and thrusting an election on the country,
they are now unashamedly projecting Jayalalitha for a national role and for,
what people would shudder even to think, Prime Ministership!
Just days prior to the anniversary fete when a reporter
pointed out increasing incidents of illegal sand mining and loot, and asked
what the government proposed to do, without any sense of responsibility, she
coolly said she had no information. After two days she issued a statement
vouching that illegal sand mining would be dealt with iron hand and that it was
rampant during the DMK rule and on her assuming charge she directed officials
to take severe action against the sand mafia. Her statement was dutifully
published prominently by these dailies without any comment. If only they go
through their records of the past one year, they can find out how many
incidents of sand lootings and killings had taken place. If the people wonder
whether such a person was fit to continue as CM, they won’t be wrong.
What is happening in the State Assembly? Can any sensible
person sit through and listen to the entire proceedings on all the days of its
session, and honestly vouch for the dignity and decorum of the House. Let them
not publish commentaries on the proceedings or the portions expunged by the
Speaker. It would be sufficient if they publish ad verbatim the speeches of
ADMK ministers and members, members of fraternal parties and the Speaker, which
the Chief Minister enjoy listening. People will understand what is happening in
the Assembly and the standard of the Chief Minister! Why those dailies like
‘Daily Thanthi’ which publish Jayalalitha’s statements/ announcements under
Rule No. 110 without omitting even a letter, do not publish the following
speeches of her ministers and members, allies and the Speaker paying encomiums
to her? Are they ashamed? Does civilized culture prevent them?
Some senior and sensible journalists working in these dailies
resent that news analyses, reviews of Assembly proceedings, investigative
reports filed by their district reporters and even columns by regular
columnists are not published as a whole or mostly edited and castrated versions
only are published.
What is the need for protecting Jaya regime like that? If it
is only for the sake of getting government advertisements, can these newspapers
that complain of commercialization of education, commercialise journalistic
ethics and freedom of the press? Is
there undeclared state of Emergency in Tamil Nadu? During the DMK rule also,
they were getting all government ads, but still they were publishing all sorts
of false, baseless and unfounded reports about the government and the then
Chief Minister Kalaignar also untiringly issuing refutals and clarifications!
So, what has happened to these dailies? Are they frightened
by the ‘rehearsal’ carried out on the office of Tamil journal ‘Nakkeeran’ and
against its editor, reminiscent of the events of 1991-96 and 2001-06 periods?
Is fear the only reason for unduly protecting and projecting Jayalalitha, or
something else?
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