HAMMERING INDIA THROUGH INDIAN MEDIA
RAJ DALUJA
If glorification of terrorism in the Valley has been mainly due to a segment of Kashmir media, their cause, being espoused by some mainstream leaders, separatists and the so-called independent analysts, is furthered by the national media by giving space to venomous elements in their prime shows. Watch any debate on Kashmir, rabid communalists and anti-national elements can be seen indulging in worse type of diatribes against the nation. Spitting venom against India, Indian institutions and Indian security and armed forces remains core of their agenda. And, more they get drubbing from the anchors or co-panelists, more is their purpose served back in Kashmir.
Recently, some unknown faces from the Valley got larger than life size projection on various television channels over the contentious issues raised in the Legislative Assembly and in the wake of Kashmir unrest. The news-channels take solace in getting a view point from Kashmir and browbeating the participants, without realising how much disservice they are doing with the national interest. By roping in some B-grade clerics or socio-political activists, the news channels are in fact making them heroes back in the Valley. Indian media becomes an engine for India bashing for them.
Most of the Indian media houses, willingly or unwillingly, are falling in the trap of separatist voices of Kashmir, who generally take them for ride in furthering their sinister agenda by hitting headlines. In pursuit of scoring target rating points (TRP), even the producers of highly acclaimed news shows err in selecting the panelists while discussing current events.
The question arises why should media houses stoop so low in highlighting the entities, who do not even enjoy the goodwill of those they claim to be representing? What more can be expected from those who remain, day in and day out, engaged in doing PR for Pakistan. These are the people, who unfortunately have got accreditation as top secessionist leaders from Kashmir despite being treated with contempt back their homes. Some of them had the reputation of being blackmailers and petty criminals. Courtesy Indian media, they are now rubbing shoulders with dignitaries around the world. They are star attractions in events and conferences being organized to resolve Kashmir. They are being taken as face of Kashmir.
The younger generation of Indian media should know that most of the problems in Kashmir owe their roots generally to media jingoism. Those keenly watching happenings across the Valley since 1989 know well how a section of media played-up the incidents beyond proportion in order to create scare and give respectability and credibility to a cult that was altogether alien to its ethos. It was the media that glorified criminals and violence as Mujahids and Jihad. And again, it was through a section of media that Kashmir society was fragmented into bits and pieces, the traces of which can be seen spread all over. Such is the power of media projection that a school dropout young boy Burhan Wani became epic-hero of terror, courtesy the friendly and sympathetic media.
Separatism in Kashmir is the other side of terrorism. There is nothing like separatist because they keep pleading and furthering the cause of terrorists. If terrorists find oxygen in publicity, the separatists are thriving on media attention. Therefore, the relationship between media and terror is not new or does not pertain to engineering strife in Kashmir only. However, its dimensions were different when the perpetrators across the borders used media as a tool to penetrate fear and generate euphoria among the masses. They succeeded beyond any doubt in their subtle plans. The impact of the media was so crucial in the initial months that terrorists kept getting messages of the action plans they were to execute through coded messages broadcast over radio channels operating in Pak-occupied-Kashmir in absence of a credible communication network at that point of time. Times might have changed but the usage of media remains the same. Now the secessionists from Kashmir find Indian media a right source to disseminate their radical ideology and spread hatred against the nation. Unfortunately, some of the national channels are obliging them in a big way.
Lately, the national channels have started casting Pakistani panelists in their programmes notwithstanding the fact that most of the Indian electronic media is blocked in that country. So, how their participation is helping in getting an objective view point! Intriguingly there is a set of Pakistani panelists-some retired army officers and diplomats -who are using Indian channels to boost the sagging morale of those in Kashmir who subscribe to separatist and radical ideology.
