[Reader-list] Today's "media circus" at Jamia

Sat Sep 20 15:02:25 IST 2008

Dear Inder,

It is not difficult to trace the Jihadi terror trail invariably to Kashmir or via Kashmir to POK.
It was only last week a known commander of HUJI was killed in Kishtwar. For the 2005 Diwali eve serial bombings in Delhi one of the main culprits- a Kashmiri Muslim is on trial. About the Parliament attack, we know all the role of Kashmiri pan Islamists. And let us not forget that the clerics from UP & Bihar had a major role in the indoctrination process in Kashmir.

And I do not agree at all that the Muslim community as whole should be held responsible for the Jihadi terrorism. In fact I feel saddened that Muslims, because of some of their co-religionists who have chosen the path of pan Islamism are expected to prove their allegiance to India every time there was a terror attack.

We are talking about a ‘mind set’. A Bangalury based young aeronautics engineer does not go all the way to faraway Glasgow to blow himself up there to avenge some ‘riot’ in his backyard back home. Then there was this Birmingham born Bilal who blew himself up in a suicide car bombing in Srinagar in 2000.

The alleged ‘issues’ that you have attempted to raise as ‘justified grounds’ for terrorism are debatable & I suggest should not become part of this debate. After all you & me & others aren’t stupids who spend so much of time on this forum on discussions. It is shocking to see the known sympathisers of Kashmiri Muslim separatists citing your ‘argument’ on the TV screens. 

By justifying ‘terrorism’ on the grounds of perceived injustice, you are only encouraging further mayhem & anarchy. 

By the way what was the provocation that lead to the ethnic cleansing of the Hindu Pandits in the valley?

If one would go by your logic then the exiled Hindu Pandits should have raised an army of insurgents to avenge the brutalities inflicted on them by the Kashmiri pan Islamists. 

Don’t forget & rightly so there has been no retaliation against the inhuman treatment meted out to the minuscule minority of Hindu Pandits at the hands of the zealots in the valley.

 Pandits continue to suffer the ignominy of being refugees in their own country. Pandits do have complains against their erstwhile neighbours, colleagues, friends who failed to protect them. Yet the bonhomie still exists. Kashmiriyat has been dumped & quite brazenly in the recent past in the valley but it still survives in the Hindu Pandit refugee camps out side Kashmir. 
Regards
LA
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> Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:58:41 +0530> From: indersalim at gmail.com> To: reader-list at sarai.net> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Today's "media circus" at Jamia> > Dear Lalit> Apparently, Delhi blasts have nothing to do with Kashmir problem.> Let us dismiss Yousf's media circus theory regarding encounter in> Jamia, but let us think why it happened.> > can we dismiss the fact that Babri Masjid demolition happened, Bombay> riots, and then Gujarat where most of the muslim population had to> suffer for no fault of theirs.> > How is it surprising that some of the affected get motivated to do> this ugly work in Delhi or elsewhere. Who is the culprit?> > Media circus is a fact New World Order, we are still learning to live with it.> All we need to know is that how it works, what looks representation> of reality is truly a manufactured thing from word go.> > love> is> > > > > On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 6:02 AM, Rahul Asthana <rahul_capri at yahoo.com> wrote:> > Did you guys factor in the small detail that a policeman has died?Was it to get more ratings for the "media circus" ?> > http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/19del1.htm> > Mohan Chand Sharma, inspector of the Delhi [Images] Police Special Cell who was critically injured during an encounter with Delhi blasts-linked terrorists, died in a hospital on Friday evening.> >> > "We have lost our best man," Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnal Singh told PTI.> >> > Forty-one-year-old Sharma, a highly decorated officer who received three bullet injuries in his abdomen, thigh and right arm in the gunbattle at Jamia Nagar in South Delhi, succumbed to his injuries at the Holy Family hospital at 7 pm, doctors attending him said.> >> > A recipient of seven gallantry medals, Sharma, who had led the police team against the terrorists wanted in connection with the Delhi and Ahmedabad [Images] blasts, underwent an operation to remove the bullets from his body.> >> > The profusely-bleeding officer was taken to the hospital.> > --- On Sat, 9/20/08, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net> wrote:> >> >> From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net>> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Today's "media circus" at Jamia> >> To: "Yousuf" <ysaeed7 at yahoo.com>> >> Cc: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>> >> Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008, 2:01 AM> >> Dear Yousuf,> >>> >> Many thanks for this post and for sharing your thoughts on> >> the 'media> >> circus'.> >>> >> Watching the 'media circus' unfold on television, I> >> was appalled at> >> the manner in which the 'spectacle' was priming> >> itself up through the> >> day. A channel called 'News 24' for instance, was> >> repeatedly> >> informing us that it 'was the first to transmit> >> pictures of the> >> encounter' etc, as if it had just won India yet another> >> sharp-> >> shooting gold medal in the Olympics.> >>> >> A thought that did strike me was, "'how much more> >> disrespectful can> >> the blood-lust of this spectacle of a hunt, get to all> >> those who died> >> in today's 'Encounter' , be they policemen on> >> duty, or 'alleged'> >> terrorists ?"> >>> >> I think we need to give some serious thought to the fact> >> that these> >> days police encounters are actually an extended part of> >> 'Reality> >> TV' (which in any case, the entire genre should be more> >> appropriately> >> called 'Surreality TV'). That seem scripted well in> >> advance. How else> >> (as you so cogently point out) can one explain the sudden> >> appearance> >> of large OB vans, with heavy duty equipment, battling heavy> >> rush hour> >> traffic, in a congested area like Jamia Nagar, just at the> >> 'nick of> >> time'?> >>> >> The TV commentators, throughout the day, referred to what> >> their> >> 'sources' in the Special Cell, or in the Delhi> >> Police, told them. I> >> wondered to what degree the entire 'Operation' was> >> co-scripted,> >> between these 'sources' and the newsrooms of> >> Television channels.> >> There seems something almost monotonously repetitive in> >> these> >> situations. A strange feeling of Deja-Vu. Something tells> >> me we have> >> seen this before. Or is it just that I have watched way too> >> much> >> 'reality' ?> >>> >> regards> >>> >> Shuddha> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> On 19-Sep-08, at 8:25 PM, Yousuf wrote:> >>> >> > Friends> >> > I have titled this message the "media circus",> >> although I am> >> > actually referring to this morning's so-called> >> encounter killing of> >> > two young people referred to as "terrorists" in> >> L-18 Batla House,> >> > Jamia Nagar, by the Delhi police. I call it media> >> circus because> >> > that's what I think it really is, like many more> >> such incidents.> >> >> >> > The incident happened in my neigbourhood, about 150> >> meters from my> >> > house. So I have the opportunity to see how things are> >> turning up.> >> > I had gone out of the area for some work while the> >> incident was> >> > taking place around 11 am, but found it impossible to> >> reach back> >> > home 2 hours later, because the road for about 1 and a> >> half> >> > kilometer (on both sides) was completely blocked, not> >> by the police> >> > vehicles, but by the parked OB vans of the countless> >> TV channels,> >> > some of which I never heard of before. Each of these> >> vehicles had> >> > its generators on, and thick video cables jetting out> >> of them for> >> > several meters to the other end where the cameraperson> >> and the> >> > excited anchor were shouting how two terrorists have> >> been killed in> >> > the fierce encounter. Most local people are surprised> >> at the speed> >> > with which the TV crews arrived here and in such large> >> number.> >> > Apparently, the Delhi Police had already told a> >> section of the> >> > press they are going for a raid in Batla House, based> >> > on the suspect Abu Bashir's tip-off (I heard this> >> from a anchor on> >> > Times NOW channel, although Police chief Dadwal is now> >> denying> >> > there is any link with Abu Bashir), but they didn't> >> obviously say> >> > it was going to be an encounter. Its strange that the> >> local> >> > residents got to know about the incident only after> >> the two people> >> > had been killed – many in fact learnt it from the> >> Aaj-tak channel.> >> > They claim they heard only the police firing and no> >> gunshots from> >> > inside the flat, which the police claim have injured> >> two of their> >> > constables.> >> >> >> > Most of you watching news TV in your homes may have> >> already heard> >> > the cacophony of the TV anchors, each trying to be> >> shriller than> >> > the other to prove that the local members of the> >> Indian Mujahideen> >> > have been killed. They now seem to have memorized> >> their lines on> >> > this issue well, since they have to repeat the same> >> thing again and> >> > again. The graphics, animated logos, crawling tickers,> >> and dramatic> >> > music/soundtrack to go with such coverage are always> >> ready in the> >> > cans to be used at short notice. A cameraman running> >> towards Batla> >> > House is nibbling at a burger while he holds on to a> >> camera in his> >> > other hand. I saw two members of a TV crew outside the> >> Holy Family> >> > Hospital (where the injured policemen have been taken)> >> fiercely> >> > fight about which camera angle would look best for a> >> sound byte.> >> > Everything looks as if planned and part of the usual> >> business. The> >> > cops are happily allowing the media to climb any wall> >> to get the> >> > best shot while they beat the local> >> > rickshawpullers to leave the roads clean. The message> >> has got> >> > across loud and clear: we told you – Batla House is> >> a haven of> >> > terrorists.> >> >> >> > But many things sound fishy. I've been hearing a lot> >> of angry> >> > conversations in the neighborhood: people are asking> >> that if the> >> > police had only planned a simple raid (which they did> >> 2 days ago in> >> > Zakir Nagar and Abul Fazl Enclave too), why did they> >> have to bring> >> > battalions of police and encounter specialists with> >> AK-56 and other> >> > deadly looking guns (that I myself saw) in advance.> >> And why is the> >> > media called in even before the residents are told. Of> >> course the> >> > fact the this happens in the month of Ramzan, on a> >> Friday, and near> >> > a large mosque where people were going to gather in> >> large numbers> >> > later for prayers, sounds just too predictable and> >> clichéd for> >> > anyone's imagination. Some locals claim that the> >> police had been> >> > visiting this place (and that particular house) since> >> last few> >> > days, and the so-called terrorists and their weapons> >> were probably> >> > "planted" last night for this encounter. This> >> claim would obviously> >> > find no takers in the presently> >> > created euphoria (did you see any channel showing a> >> sound byte to> >> > this affect?) I didn't find a single local resident> >> who is not fed> >> > up with this oft-repeated image of Jamia Nagar as> >> harboring> >> > terrorists. But none of the channels I saw aired the> >> public angst> >> > against their portrayal.> >> >> >> > To be honest, one shouldn't deny that the Batla> >> House area has some> >> > criminal and anti-social elements, just as Darya Ganj> >> or Shahadra> >> > or Govindpuri would have. But most local residents> >> believe that for> >> > Jamia to become a haven of such criminal elements, the> >> local police> >> > and land-mafia are equally responsible. Jamia area is> >> one of the> >> > rare localities of Delhi where the rule of law> >> doesn't apply in> >> > most spheres. The land mafia openly indulges in> >> illegal> >> > construction; no rules of traffic apply here, the> >> condition of> >> > civic amenities is abysmal. Illegal shops, factories> >> (many with> >> > child labour) and businesses operate here actively> >> with police> >> > connivance. The local politicians (MLA, councilors)> >> are actually> >> > part of the problem rather than the solution. There is> >> a full-scale> >> > illegal ISBT (bus stand) running in Batla House's> >> backyard to bring> >> > hundreds of migrants everyday from small towns of UP> >> (you can see> >> > the police openly accepting bribe from its> >> > operators any day).> >> >> >> > There is no question of sealing whatever the heck> >> business you may> >> > run here, and most places stink with heaps of garbage> >> everywhere.> >> > There are no RWAs or citizen's initiatives to> >> discuss the problems.> >> > It is truly a manufactured ghetto of Delhi – why> >> don't all these> >> > problems happen in Lajpat Nagar or Kalkaji? I am> >> positive that the> >> > authorities are aware that criminals (or what they> >> call terrorists)> >> > exist here. But they deliberately allow them to thrive> >> here – never> >> > to be touched in the normal/peaceful times – keep> >> them for the> >> > right time. It is as if Batla House is a laboratory or> >> breeding> >> > ground where things are allowed to grow by providing> >> all the> >> > required ingredients and safety. The fruits are> >> plucked only when> >> > they are ripe (or required). So today, they simply> >> came to gather> >> > the fruit they had sown, and made a big exhibition of> >> it by calling> >> > the media. The local people, frightened that the next> >> encounter may> >> > happen in their house, simply> >> > squirm and hide in their personal ghettos.> >> >> >> > In all this, a big responsibility lies with the media,> >> and I am yet> >> > to come across bold and honest reporters who are ready> >> to go beyond> >> > the obvious and investigate the truth – not simply> >> repeat what is> >> > told to them by the authorities or their channel> >> bosses.> >> >> >> > Yousuf Saeed> >> > September 19, 2008> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > _________________________________________> >> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the> >> city.> >> > Critiques & Collaborations> >> > To subscribe: send an email to> >> reader-list-request at sarai.net with> >> > subscribe in the subject header.> >> > To unsubscribe:> >> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list> >> > List archive:> >> <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>> >>> >> Shuddhabrata Sengupta> >> The Sarai Programme at CSDS> >> Raqs Media Collective> >> shuddha at sarai.net> >> www.sarai.net> >> www.raqsmediacollective.net> >>> >>> >> _________________________________________> >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.> >> Critiques & Collaborations> >> To subscribe: send an email to> >> reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject> >> header.> >> To unsubscribe:> >> https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list> >> List archive:> >> <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>> >> >> >> > _________________________________________> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.> > Critiques & Collaborations> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header.> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list> > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>> > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com> _________________________________________> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.> Critiques & Collaborations> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header.> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
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