It is so disturbing to hear the news these days. People killing each other in the name of religion, protests and money.
I literally do not understand.
The journalist and fact checker, Mohammad Zubair, has been arrested on a tweet made in 2018, because somebody claimed that he had hurt his religious sentiments!
In the tweet, Mr Zubair shared a clip from legendary filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1983 classic Kissi Se Na Kehna. The image shows a hotel board that reads “Hanuman Hotel” in Hindi. Paint marks suggest that it was earlier called ‘Honeymoon Hotel’ and the “Honeymoon” was changed to “Hanuman”. Mr Zubair wrote in the tweet, “Before 2014: Honeymoon Hotel, After 2014: Hanuman Hotel”.
This movie was widely shown in the cinema halls, and it did not hurt anyone’s religious sentiments at that time. When the tweet was made by Zubair no one’s religious sentiments were hurt. After 35 years of film release plus 4 years after the tweet was made, putting together 39 years later one person came out claiming that his religious sentiments were hurt, by Zubair’s tweet.
If we compare this with Nupur Sharma, who delivered a controversial statement about Prophet Muhammad on television. After this, Muslims in almost half of the country came out in protest, and the tweet damaged international relations with 15 other friendly countries. Even so, she is not arrested, nor spent even a day in judicial custody though several FIR’s have been filed against her provocative action all around the country.
“When an FIR is registered and you are not arrested, this shows your clout. She thinks she has back up power and makes irresponsible statements.” a Bench of Justice Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala said, making an observation from the Supreme Court.
Justice Kant said, “The way she has ignited emotions across the country… This lady is single handedly responsible for what is happening in the country.”
Nupur Sharma made the objectionable statement on the television news channel ‘Times Now’ during a debate programme. What kind of the debate programme was that where religion and such topics were being discussed in such an uncontrolled manner? It is the channel’s and the programme moderator’s responsibility to keep the environment under control and prevent irresponsible acts which can hurt people’s sentiments and emotions.
Even the Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala asked, “What is the business of the TV channel to discuss the matter which is sub-judice, except to promote an agenda?”
Times Now had removed the video and issued a clarification, but the channel never apologised for its role in spreading hate in society.
This is one incident where judiciary has held the media, responsible to provoke religious sentiments. But watching recent scenario we can clearly see that television news channels which were supposed to broadcast authentic news, information and knowledge are actually promoting agendas sponsored by any political or non political party, and sharing misinformation and so on.
It is very depressing to see India, the country of diversity, being divided into parts.
And who takes charge of it? Mass media where most of the hate speech and misinformation takes place.
Now, being a student of journalism and mass communication, I feel ashamed sometimes of what all the leading news agencies are doing specially the television news channels.
More than cinema the news channels have become the favorite place for drama and controversies.
If it keeps going on, we the common people are in danger.
HARSHIT PAUL, BMC 4 SEMESTER, SXCMT PATNA
THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ABOVE ARE ENTIRELY THOSE OF THE WRITER AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT NEWSNET ONE EDITORIAL POLICY
A very good analysis. The way in which the hate machine is being engineered boggles the mind.
Any person with an objective and rational mind can understand the absurdity of the charges against Zubair.
The troubling question is: are the courts beginning to sacrifice logic and reason to sentimentality?