Indian Media's Embarrassment In Nepal
By Vidya Bhushan Rawat
10 May, 2015
Countercurrents.org
Nepali students burn Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's effigy
The self- respecting people of Nepal need to be congratulated for compelling the jingoist brahmanical Indian media to ponder over its follies and idiocies in reporting the painful stories of earthquake from Nepal. The thing is that the reportage of TRP hungry TV channels is not new to us when they market our emotions and sentiments as these are the most ‘saleable’ products in our market apart from sex, rape, babas, tantra, cricket, corporate and Bollywood. It is not unusual for Indian media to have reported a tragedy in such a way was we have seen their reports elsewhere particularly in Kashmir and Uttarakhand last year when both the states suffered from high decibel flooding and cloud bursting. It is definitely wonderful to see the reporters are on the ground immediate after an incident take place and we appreciate it. It helps to put a break on the rumors which runs thick and fast during such period in the absence of any alternative mechanism. It is equally important that such stories goes in our bed room and raise sensitivity of the issue.
Indian media was first to reach Nepal like the Indian forces and other members of National Disaster Relief Teams who worked incredibly. The Indian response to the crisis was appreciated very much because of its appropriate timings. The first day, we had reporters of a news channel but by the second day huge contingent of reporters landed in Kathmandu. Many of those who reached earlier actually went there by road but later group flew in the Indian Air Force planes. In these times of ‘advertisement’ and visibility every country is proud of its ‘forces’ and ‘claim’ that they are the ‘best’ hence it is not India specific when we claim that our forces are the ‘most valiant’ and ‘uncorrupt’ in the world. Pakistanis feel the same way and so does Nepal and China. The western world also do the same and advertise their ‘equipment’ and other military hardware which they want to sale. BBC reported on War on Libya was the same projection. When the Americans and its allied forces attacked Iraq the CNN was broadcasting the war ‘live’ and brought it to our living rooms. But we also need to see one big difference between the western worlds reporting the tragedies in their own countries in comparison to their reporting to the third world. You just have to see and compare the reporting. During any such cases of incidents we have never seen their cameras on ‘dead’ and ‘mutilated’ bodies in their societies. While reporting from the third world they do show all the stuff which is unacceptable in their societies. The western media is very careful about the privacies and sensibilities of individuals and society so they walk their path very carefully when they report from India or any other country.
Of-course, we are talking of western media, we are speaking of the TV channels where reporting is taken seriously such as BBC, Al-jazeera and to certain extent CNN. There is Fox news which converts every debate into a big joke. India is fast following the path of Fox news where contents does not matter as the newsrooms are fast becoming ‘slaughterhouse’ and everyday there is a ‘Bakra’ to be slaughtered by the lynch mob sitting in these newsrooms. This slaughtering of ‘guests’ in the newsrooms where anchors and participants shouts at each-others without listening and even not allowing others to complete their sentences, has given rise to TRPs as battered middle classes enjoy this immensely. The attempt is to ‘shape’ their opinion through distortion of facts and creation of fictitious images. The ‘fourth estate’ of ‘democracy’ is in fact a clever ploy to derail democratic processes and impose planted stories on the people in the name of ‘people’s opinion’. In India this ‘people’s opinion’ is quintessentially brahmanical in nature and have deep rooted prejudices against minorities, Dalits Aadivasis and other marginalized segments of our society. During the Mandal age the media promoted caste hierarchy and campaigned as a party against the job reservation meant for the OBCs in the central government services. The media reporting on the Ayodhya issue indicated clearly which class of people media not just represent but also vehemently propagate to maintain the status quo.
During the height of anti Mandal agitation, I had opportunity to meet many journalists, columnists and editors as I was writing a dissertation on media reporting on the same. Shockingly, most of them raised the issue of merit and efficiency as if I was talking to them about that. Mandal compelled the urban elite to understand the importance of identities and be a bit accommodative though they continue to show their resentment. We found that a few of the Hindi newspapers gave some space for Dalit writers and novelists and carried out stories and articles written by them. Suddenly those who hated the ‘identity’ issues began to realize the ‘importance’ of the ‘identities’ to get a ‘stamp’ of ‘approval’ on their ‘agenda’. It resulted in flourishing writings of a number of people who would target people according to the ‘agenda’ but don’t look part of that sinister campaign. Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar was portrayed as if he was a diehard Hindu and supporter of capitalism. The focus of today’s ‘Foxified’ media is on ‘feel-good’ factor and anything that is related to ‘poverty’, hunger, rural development and talks about state’s responsibility has to be rejected as ‘old-fashioned’ ‘jhollawalah’. Dalits who are urbanized and articulated are to be used where their thinking ‘match’ with those in power and even if they may not be supporter of Hindutva, their economic views could be used to discredit others who are struggling for basic rights. Hence a Dalit journalist like Nagaraju in Hyderabad died of cancer without any support from his newspaper management and journalist fraternity in the New Indian Express. His case was not just an exploitation of a person who hails from a particular background and become nondescript when they come out from their village. There were not many who stood with Nagaraju except for his close Dalit friends in Hyderabad. In fact, the entire issue could not even raise eyebrows and war cries among the Dalit themselves. None of the ‘known’ columnists or writers from the fraternity outside Hyderabad thought it fit to write a note on him in their ‘columns’. There are dedicated websites and yet not much came out of it. Indian newsrooms have no respect for ‘diversity’ and ‘dissent’ and they are unashamedly promoting brahmanical nationalism which means glorification of its past, its superiority, its ‘values’, ‘cultural heritage’, ‘military might’ of India. Any kind of debate on ‘secularism’, Islamic heritage in India, assertion of Dalits and their questioning the brahmanical myths, OBC reservation, representation for Muslims, autonomy of
Kashmir, relations with Pakistan are to be shunned and objected if raised.
Powerful nations always feel that natural calamities are always the best opportunity to market their products in the name of ‘aid’ for the ‘affected’ people apart from establishing your people in the ‘think tank’ of those societies which are affected as well as popularization of ‘religion’ which the ‘donors’ bring with them. It is clear that Indian electronic media is in the business of doing such things in absolute absurdities in India itself when the victims or affected people are virtually ‘projected’ as if they were nothing and focus of the media campaign is more on the activities of Indian army on the ground.
There is a special case with Nepal. It is a secular nation today though many in India wanted it a ‘Hindu’ rashtra. Due to Indo-Nepal friendship treaty which remains unequal between the two nations, India and Nepal have a visa free border and Nepalese and Indian citizens can cross over to each other side and work there. Indian army has a special battalion named as Gurkha Regiment whose stories of valor are well known. The Hindu cultural similarities with Nepal make Indian elite to ‘disrespect’ Nepal’s sovereignty. Thousands of Nepalese migrants live in India to earn their livelihood. Their conditions are not great but they migrate because of the prevailing distressful conditions in their own country. With such a large number of people, a majority of whom work as security guards, cooks, domestic servants etc, in Indian cities, an image is built in the minds of common Indian as if all the Nepalese people are the same. The NC-IC (Nepalese Currency-Indian Currency) exchange rate favoring India and visa free regime here have made India ‘big’ brother of Nepal who don’t care the sentiments and emotions of the younger brother. It is not that Nepal does not like India but the problem is that Nepal is a self-respecting nation and the patronizing attitude of Indians has always hurt the Nepalese self-respect and pride. Indian think Nepal is their colony and the entire theme line is developed afterward. Many feel, it is the ‘only’ Hindu country in the world, a statement of helplessness as why isn’t India the other one while a large number of others who have Chottus, and Bahadurs in their families consider every Nepal like that and in that they forget that all Nepalese are not their ‘domestic’ servants. Then there are other ideologues of various varieties who too present a sorry picture of their parochial and patronizing attitude towards Nepal. So, this mindset actually feels that every Nepali must understand Hindi and respond to their question in the same language. Let us not forget that it is an independent country, a sovereign one and can take its own decisions. Language, no doubt, is a medium of communication yet it is also true that it is also a mean to subjugate the people culturally and decimate their culture. War in today’s time is fought through language to control the communities and whip up their emotional link. India can only win Nepal through addressing emotional issues of common culture. Deliberately, Nepal was presented a Hindu rastra so that the Hindu link is strengthened compelling Nepal to look towards India for assistance. Indians understood well if they take time in responding, the Chinese will be there before them and that would have become difficult to curtail them. So, military on the ground was thoroughly and wholeheartedly supported by ever obliging media.
Amidst this background when Indian reporter descend in Kathmandu to cover the growing tragedy of earthquake then we have to understand was what was in store in terms of reporting. A reporter goes and described the tragedy and focuses most of the time the ‘ Dhardhara Minar’, Singh Darbar and at the end Swaymbhu. The focus is more on ‘destruction’ of ‘Hindu-Buddhist’ symbols and less on people. There are no reports from other parts of Nepal and understanding that there difficult terrains to reach. More importantly, not much was reported about international aid. Once Indian Air Force planes started landing the focus then shift to ‘Indian’ people. I was watching ‘news’ in the morning when a reporter was standing on road showing some portion of a building about to be collapsed. He speak to people about Ramdev and his programme there slowly he come towards Indian side where some of them are standing and complaining that ‘Nepal government is not doing enough and that they are without any kind of aid. ‘We want to go back to India as soon as possible as things are getting worst here’, they said contemptuously. So, the reporter now focuses on ‘Indian’ people and ‘nothing’ has been ‘done’ to them. In that period when the country was desperate and people were dying our reporters were focusing on ‘inability’ of ‘Nepal’ to ‘help’ Indian people. The sad part is that once they saw Indian reporters, their behavior changed and all kind of complains started coming in. Many of the reporters were entering into the homes of the people where they were moaning and asking them all kinds of questions of ‘how it happened’ and ‘what did you do’. Will we respect the personal pains and agonies of people?
A reporter wanted to provide a report attempting to sensationalise the issue of ‘exodus’ of Nepalese people from Kathmandu. So he goes to Kathmandu’s new bus stand and start asking questions to a few of them who are standing at the bus station whether they are leaving Kathmandu for ever due to fear of quake. ‘Are you leaving Kathmandu, said the reporter. ‘ No, sir, why should I leave, it is my place as I have grown up here. With negative answer the reporter move further and ask another person,’ are you leaving Kathmandu and he gets the same answer again. Frustrated, the reporter now push his mike on to a bus leaving from Kathmandu to Dhangarhi asking the people onboard whether they are ‘leaving’ Kathmandu. Now you can understand the ‘knowledge’ and ‘commonsense’ of these reporters.
It is not shocking that while commercial media have ‘experts’ of each country and they depute those people who have understanding of that country. As when you report international issues, it is not merely a quake but lot of other things including your relations with that country but very unfortunately Indian television channels deputed cub reporters for the Nepal tragedy who did not have much understanding of Nepal’s sentiments and political situation and were reporting the tragedy like a soap-opera of the Hindi film. One of the most offensive points was seeking answer for everything from the Nepalese friends.
‘What do they say about Indian aid’ or ‘ how is Indian army doing’, or asking stupid questions about Narendra Modi and his ‘quick fix’ solutions. Should each Nepali know and respond to Indian questions about India’s politics, Narendra Modi and ‘great’ work done by Indian army. The entire focus of the media therefore was not on people and problem but the ‘great’ work being done by the Indian government. It is not surprising that during the Uttarakhand crisis two years back the same media appreciated role of the Indian Air Force but refused to give credit to the government suggesting as if the army was working independent of the government but in Nepal they not only were disproportionately reporting about the ‘success’ but giving the credit to Narendra Modi. So the difference of reporting was clear that the Indian media had descended to Kathmandu to actively propagate BJP’s poll campaign and ensure to make other countries look petty in terms of contribution.
Slowly, things were clear and Nepalese people were disturbed at the attempt to make them look small and ‘helpless’. But is the media responsible for it or were they reporting under the ‘influence’ of the ruling party. If we see the Narendra Modi brand of ‘charities’ then we will realize that ‘chest thumping’ is the biggest style today. It was not long ago how Narendra Modi produced a Nepali friend from Gujarat who he ‘educated’ and he was in campaign mood when he spoke at the Nepali Congress asking Nepal how to make its ‘constitution’ and how can it ‘develop’ and that ‘big brother’ India will do everything to ‘support’ ‘chhotabhai’ Nepal.
India’s Nepal actions were actually aimed at countering the influence of China and any other western country. As a neighboring country, we have a right to make our policy and take a decision and the way the government acted was definitely appreciable but the ignorance of our reporters and their reporting of the matter actually exposed the Indian intentions. If India wanted to make noise of its help in Nepal then it is wrong and discredits the entire efforts. Indian establishment must think that it cannot treat Nepal as 30th state of India and behave that way. The irony in the entire exercise is that media is the fourth estate of democracy and work as a vanguard to protect people’s right and warn the government of its mistake became an eager partner in ‘embedded’ journalism. It would be good if the armed forces remain out of the temptation of media glitz and their TRPs as it would do no good to their strength and professionalism. Media today has corporate interests and in India it is furthering the Hindutva corporate agenda too and therefore every danger to discredit the institutions of armed forces, which have remained neutral and absolutely focused on their national services.
India is aspiring to be a ‘world power’ but unable to maintain good relations with any of its neighbors and the reason for that is our ‘big brotherly’ attitude. We need to understand that such attitudinal issues will not bring laurels to India as it need to first learn lessons of charity which must remain humble and not of chest thumping brand. Secondly, we are deeply class and caste conscious society and therefore did not feel it twice how people would react to when we send our old cloths to the people living in trouble. We are never a society, which give huge money for social causes though our business and corporate houses and individuals will pumps millions to the religious charities and other programmes for the promotion of religious values. It was good that Nepal understood that its people were taken for granted and that we would be sending all our ‘dirt’ that we needed to remove from homes, to ‘charity’ for the ‘poor’ people of Nepal. No self-respecting society will accept ‘degrading’ ‘charities’, which humiliate them and their dignity. It is good that Nepal realized it and sent all the ‘international’ players back to their home as Kathmandu would have become the ‘war zones’ of different ‘stakeholders’.
It is tough time for Nepal but given the nature of the hard working people there the country will recover soon. Nepal though poor yet is much better than any south Asian society where people are hospitable and warm. Walking in the streets of Kathmandu is safer than in Delhi, Karachi or Dhaka. It’s a country that has abundance of love and beautiful natural resources, which need to be protected. The calamity has provided an opportunity to rebuild their nation and we hope Nepal will emerge stronger and greater after this. It definitely needs international support and solidarity yet respecting people’s sentiments and values of life. As far as Indian media is concern, it would be good for them to learn a few things about reporting from a foreign nation and follow the basic norms of that country and not to bulldoze every one through their obsessive self-facilitating propaganda which is self defeating and embarrassing for the nation one billion people.
Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social and human rights activist. He blogs at www.manukhsi.blogspot.com twitter @freetohumanity Email: [email protected]
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