By Sushil Kutty
The New York Times does a hit piece on a left-liberal news outlet and a grateful Modi Government picks it up and makes an announcement in the Lok Sabha, including naming the three journalists whom the media of the Modi government immediately label “anti-national.” In episode 2, the police of BJP-ruled Haryana use “muscular members of the force” to allegedly waylay and “kidnap” a journalist whose tweet targeted a top police official.
The pro government Media’ ‘blacks out’ the news of the “illegal arrest” and makes no mention of the “kidnapping”. That is not the point, the different manners in which news is reported by the Modi-friendly ‘Godi Media’ is also not news. It is both confounding as well as a sign of the times — nine years of crawling when told to bend. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets a third straight term, blame it partly on the avarice and cowardice of this pliant media.
Take away the ‘Godi Media’, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lose. The journalist of the rightwing news channel had tweeted that the Haryana police official was taking calls on the Nuh violence from a Qatari-based news channel. And Prime Minister Narendra Modi is extremely sensitive to what is discussed and written about India in foreign media.
He doesn’t even spare party functionaries when it comes to rules of conduct set for him by international media. And much to the consternation of the Modi government, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera have all kept the Modi government on edge. It is only because of these foreign news sources that the Modi government is on a modicum of tight leash.
This, when the manner in which the Modi government controls domestic Indian media is a national shame – a story never to be mentioned even in the passing! The number of journalists who have sold their souls, their conscience, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his dispensation could fill the Yellow Pages. And the names are the crème de la crème of Indian journalism. At least the Hindi belt is fully covered. This lot serves the Modi government’s interests like no bunch of lackeys have served their masters ever before in human history.
The pro BJP Media’ is completely without scruples, lacks basic decency and will – yes, you have guessed it – crawl when told to bend. Members of this set of media are also self-centred and selfish. Remember the Mumbai-based editor-in-chief of a television news channel who was picked up by the Mumbai Police and carted away?
He shouted and screamed blue murder and shouted he was being lynched in a police van? This was the same journalist who chose to black out the “illegal arrest” of the rightwing journalist by the Gurugram Police. This particular editor-in-chief, a loudmouth of no mean repute, is the bi mouthpiece of the BJP and the PMO – somebody who has been crawling for nine long years!
There are other crawling members of this tribe and the powers that do everything within their means to keep PM and Amit Shah in good humour. Oftentimes, you will find the entire set of this type of Media’ scrolling the same line at the bottom of the TV screen; the same debates on the same topics… Even the taglines are ditto.
The Modi government’s control over this faithful Media’, all those broadcast from Noida bordering Delhi, is complete. These media amplify Modi’s voice, broadcast Modi’s views and lend those views the necessary slant. That includes bashing the media unwilling to toe the government line.
The Prime Minister’s priorities have changed over time and he is now picking news from international news outlets according to how they serve his interests. And the pliant Media, like the Vodafone Pug, is forever ready to help! Truly, this Media is without scruples and without basic decency. But then who cares if the objective is served. (IPA Service)
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