Musings

I was introduced to The Hindu when I was about 8. Old man was insistent that I read the editorial of the daily, regardless of what I understood. Such was his despotism! But of all that he had in plenty this particular fad I developed was of help to me in due course of time. I must admit those days the reading or scouring the daily began from the ‘sports page’. As time passed , I could agree with my old fella that indeed the Hindu Editorial was an uniquely well written piece for its language ( content as well) and like  the ubiquitous voice of Melville de Mellow the Indian broadcaster  whose English news in the AIR was more English than the English could ever read English.

“Melville de Mellow's affecting commentary that day in 1948 ( nonstop for 7 hours ),articulating the nation's grief and homage as the cortege of Mahatma Gandhi  moved towards Raj Ghat, is remembered as one of the best instances of radio broadcasting in India and world over. His élan of the language, articulation and above all sensibility to the situation is something the shrieking wild reporters we saw on India TV news channels over the past week lack and miserably so. For these bunch of screeching primates, a tragedy, a poignant moment a solemn occasion is seldom a plank that decides how the reportage must be. How dreadfully insensitive and vexing, they can be over a dead mutilated corpse!

As for the media and in question The Hindu (which continued to be among the few sober print daily), the events following the Pulwama – Modi’s  electoral adventure into Pakistan using the IAF was so miserably reported that not one International news agency deemed it even conditionally  quotable. To proclaim that 300 terrorist or JEM militants holed up in training camps in Balakot (POK) were killed in the IAF air raid, while in fact, not one dead donkey was retrieved from the area IAF pounded, tells how pathetic Indian media have become and how equally and shamelessly competent they are in toeing the flagitious falsehood and malarkey the Government want them to carry.

Surely N.Ram you do owe an explanation, not because you are what you are, but because The Hindu is an icon to many, an Institution, a symbol and an example of conscientious journalism.  

The trumped up jingoistic fever since yesterday morning on various Indian new channels was pure rodomontade and creating revulsion.  Now those folks may vie and put Wing Commander Abhinandan under the ‘hammer’ ,quote and under cut each other to accomplish an exclusive of the pilot. This isn’t journalism, it is like voyeurism. When you give undue credence to a snooty snollygoster, revoltingly grand standing Prime minister who thrives on falsehood, misrepresentation and cunning you have rivaled Faust to be Faustians.

Wing commander Abhinandan deserves bouquets for his resolute conduct in alien captivity. His return is a grand relief for every Indian. Certainly we have many such Abhinandans in our Military. But do remember, so do Pakistan! Our enemy is another country’s hero and vice versa, valour has no confined boundaries. Human beings my friends - all in flesh and blood, pain and contentment there is nothing that jingoism, nationalism and unethical journalism can scoop out as grandiloquent specially about Indians or for that matter a Pakistani.