2016 has been a strange year. Ever since PM Modi came to power we all expected a backlash from the Lutyens Delhi cocktail circuit. This was an ecosystem that flourished over many a years, where you pat my back I pat yours was the norm. This is a group that is self serving and even includes a certain section of the media who owe their allegiance to 10 Janpath and their partners. Modi doesn’t give interviews, he doesn’t take us on his plane, he doesn’t call us for tea so why should we report in his favour, is the basic thinking. Some of the older more experienced journalists like Barkha Dutt lead this pack. No doubt some of their work is par excellence but when balanced out there are instances that leave alot to be desired. Giving out strategic locations in war reportage, providing cover fire for extreme anti India thoughts being some of them.
So coming back to 2016, we not only had the JNU protests that seemed perfectly coordinated to upset peace in India, with anti india slogans being defended as free speech by those same journalists and their politician friends. We also had the Kashmir fall out of the killing of a terrorist Burhan Wani. A young boy who lost his way but had death destined the day he chose to get violent against the Indian state. He was a terrorist, he died. Sure you can report on Kashmiri people but dont glorify a terrorist. We have seen enough to see through this game also.
Recently one of India’s top journalists Arnab Goswami raised a point that most Indians had also felt strongly about, the Pro Pakistani voices emerging from India’s social circle including the media. Without naming anybody he exposed those in Lutyens Delhi who under the garb of being pro Kashmiri were actually being anti Indian. What do they achieve by immortalizing a terrorist and making him a hero, such people shouldn’t even be journalists he said. Although she wasn’t mentioned Barkha Dutt’s guilt made her write scathing tweets and Facebook posts about Arnab. She said she won’t waste time on him but did exactly that. Not to anybody’s surprise even her followers on social media said Arnab is write. When a journalist is mocked by others forming a group but also enjoys maximum TRPs you know he’s doing it right. And the outburst was as much using Arnab’s name to become popular as it was a defence of a guilt.
People can accuse Arnab of a lot of things but not of acting against India’s interest. Given the fact Times Now have always reported only what’s in India’s interests is enough reason to back him and show the others what real journalists are like.
Let’s pledge to defeat this propaganda of anti India campaigns in Kashmir and elsewhere in India.
