Author: Chinmay Bajekal
Publication: Organiser
Date: January 9, 2005
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=59&page=15
The Leftist-inclined Indian media
has once again shown signs of lacking professionalism by its irresponsible
conduct on the Kanchi issue. By over-emphasising baseless allegations and
refusing to highlight the facts which it finds undesirable, the media has
tried to portray the issue in a manner which suits its ideological interests.
From day one, the media has been inclined to believe that Shankaracharya
Sri Jayendra Saraswati is indeed guilty of the alleged crime. This is totally
contrary to what it did in the Ishrat Jahan case. Back then, the media
was all out to portray Ishrat as an innocent victim of the communal police
in Gujarat. Even though evidence suggested otherwise, the media wanted
to have the nation believe that it was fabricated by the Gujarat police.
Now the media has all of a sudden started to believe anything that the
police claim.
The following are a few instances
that support the argument against the media:
* On day one, the media justified
the sudden arrest of the seer on Deepavali night, by reporting the allegation
that he was about to flee to Nepal. Later on, it was learnt that the Shankaracharya
is given Z security and is accompanied by bodyguards, which would make
it impossible for him to flee the country without the government's permission.
* Later, the media reported that
the younger Shankaracharya, His Holiness Vijayendra Saraswati had demanded
a CBI probe into the issue. Some people in the media tried portraying this
as a rift or divide between the two Shankaracharyas. But later it was learnt
that the younger Shankaracharya had never made any such statement.
* The police made a claim that the
Mutt had withdrawn money from its ICICI Bank account, which was later on
given to the contract killers. Now, it is learnt that the Kanchi Mutt has
no account in ICICI Bank. So, the police are trying to look for people
related to the Mutt who have accounts in ICICI. This shows that the prosecution
and police are hell bent upon proving the Shankara-charya as the culprit.
It is not as if Shankaracharya is a suspect; he is a target. Even if evidence
is not found against him, special efforts are being made to create evidences
against him.
* Just then two of the accused in
the murder told the court that they had been forced to confess to a crime
they had never committed and fix the Shankara-charya. And also they were
beaten up in police custody and compelled to sign blank documents. This
weakened the case of the prosecutor and the police.
* Just then the prosecution came
up with the claim that the Shankaracharya had confessed to the crime. The
media highlighted this and it left the public in a state of shock. Later
on, when the Kanchi Mutt and the Shankaracharya officially denied having
made any such confession, there is no more talk about it.
* The Shankaracharya is not the
only individual affected by this. Even innocent individuals like the lady
Usha suffering from cancer was alleged to have absconded while she was
under treatment in the hospital. The media also gave a very wrong impression
to the public regarding the relationship of Usha with the Shankaracharya
due to its irresponsible manner of reporting.
This objectionable behaviour by
the Indian media has brought about character assassination of the Kanchi
Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati and has also maligned the Kanchi Mutt.
The media under the banner of 'equality before the law' has fearlessly
and without any hesitation played with Hindu sentiments. It shows or expresses
no regrets over the reporting of baseless allegations which have offended
millions of devotees around the world. It has never come out with any official
apology for having shocked many devotees by its reporting of false allegations
like that of the Shankaracharya planning to flee the country or having
confessed to the crime.
In today's world, the media is considered
to be a significant part of the society. And it would be totally disastrous
for the country if the Indian media in future loses the trust and the faith
people have reposed in it. The Hindu has always been a tolerant person.
He may not necessarily express his anger in the form of violence. The media
should not misunderstand the silence to be his compliance with the media's
conduct on this issue.
