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.
