To highlight how the media has been particularly biased in Gujarat, Offstumped has dug out an interesting story that made headlines late December 2005, early 2006. The media reportage on this story highlights the motivated agenda of the left of center media.
First the chronology of events concerning this story.
27th Dec 2005 TOI reports %u201CPost Godhra Mass Grave unearthed%u201D
29th Dec 2005 The Hindu reports %u201CMass Grave: NHRC seeks report from Gujarat and CBI%u201D
29th Dec 2005 The Telegraph reports %u201CGujarat HC asks CBI to intervene in grave probe%u201D
Now the CBI in early 2006 actually exhumes the bodies and collects DNA samples.
So what happens next in this morbid saga ?
Before we get to that, note how the media framed this %u201Cdiscovery%u201D with the usage of the phrase %u201Cmass grave%u201D so as to draw parallels with %u201Cpogrom%u201D and %u201Cholocaust%u201D. Now the phrase %u201CMass Grave%u201D typically is used to imply disposal of a very large number of unknown human remains usually in a single site to coverup state sponsored mass killing. To put the %u201Cmass%u201D in %u201Cmass grave%u201D into perspective consider the %u201Cmass graves%u201D in Iraq with thousands of corpses, the hundreds in Chechenya, more than 8000 in the killing fields of Cambodia.
In this case even before the CBI exhumed bodies and established identity the media characterised the find as a mass grave related to the 2002 riots.
RE:BIASED MEDIA ON GUJARAT
by ramesh chengappa on Oct 23, 2007 09:49 AM Permalink
To appreciate how much the media hyped up the discovery consider this. The Yogendra Yadav lead NCERT text book re-writing agenda ensured that this story of the %u201Cmass grave%u201D not just was included in the NCERT Political Science Text Book but Page 108, Chapter 6 actually prominently displayed the phrase %u201CMass Grave%u201D to ensure generations of NCERT students have it seared in their psyche.
So having successfuly called the site a %u201Cmass grave%u201D even before a count of the bodies took place, and having ensured that NCERT textbooks recorded it for posterity, what exactly did they do about it ?
On Jan 12th 2006 the HC orders CBI to send the remains to Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) saying that that once the tests were conducted copies of the results should be given to it and also the state government.
On April 18th 2006 a local court in Lunavada issued non-bailable warrants against six persons, including social activist Rais Khan, on charges of tampering with evidence by digging up a mass grave of post-Godhra riot victims in Panchmahal district in December 2005. The administration maintained that all the bodies had been identified and buried in accordance with legal procedures to be followed for unclaimed bodies. On April 20th Teesta Setalvaad waters down her accusations of the Government to merely complaining that the Government buried unclaimed bodies in a wasteland.
8 months later the DNA report comes in with only 6 matches. The story kind of ends th
RE:RE:BIASED MEDIA ON GUJARAT
by ramesh chengappa on Oct 23, 2007 09:50 AM Permalink
8 months later the DNA report comes in with only 6 matches. The story kind of ends there with the High Court not acting on any allegations of wrong doing but then the Supreme Court in Sept 2007 adds its twist by issuing a notice to Gujarat on a petition filed by Teesta Setalvad.
By the time we get to this petition the emphasis is no longer on a %u201Cmass grave%u201D nor %u201Cburial in a wasteland%u201D as alleged earlier but it is on %u201Ccallously dumping%u201D in a %u201C300 acre graveyard belonging to different Muslim sects%u201D while not performing %u201Cmandatory autopsy%u201D.
By framing the reportage on Lunawada with the use of the phrase %u201Cmass grave%u201D an impression was created by the media of state sponsored mass killing and a subsequent coverup. This was later on watered down to %u201Cimproper disposal of unclaimed bodies%u201D by the Administration without following due procedure.
But the damage was already done.
This episode is instructive of how the media agenda creates bias and manufactures myths. This bias and these myths are then perpetuated to eternity by media spin meisters masquerading as social scientists who are employed by the Government at the tax payer%u2019s expense. With NCERT Text Books that carry a one sided narrative of the events in Gujarat, young minds have already been biased even before the courts and history have sat in judgement of the Modi Administration.
RE:BIASED MEDIA ON GUJARAT
by mike mike on Oct 23, 2007 10:22 AM Permalink
good one, ramesh. all of us shd read this note to understand how our biased media with help from left sponsored pseudo-secularits, social activists and historians have consistently tried to malign Mr.Modi, BJP and all hindus in particular.
Left's main aim is to spoil good proposals to the country. IF congress doesnt make this deal happen then it will suffer a heavy loss inthe coming election
D.N.Barola wants to state that if there was at all a blunder it was in anticipating the political situation in the country. Nuclear deal agreement was mooted at the time of the Bharatiya Janta Party Government. The BJP led National Democratic Alliance was the first to discuss the Nuclear energy as the first item for cooperation with the United States under the Next Step in Strategic Partnership (NSSP). It was negotiated by the BJP Govts. National Security Advisor Brijesh Mishra. But the political situation changed in India and UPA Govt. led by Congress was constituted with the support of the Left. Left owes its allegiance to China. Chinese mouth-organ Peoples Daily had as far as back in November, 2005 declared that the Indo-US Nuclear cooperation agreement will inflict a hard blow to global non-proliferation regime and trigger domino effect. This will bring a series of negative impact. The Left takes its orders from China. Naturally it will see to it that the deal does not go through. There was no question of the United States perceiving such a situation where the left would have dominating the political scene in India. In India the Government is heavily dependent for support of the Left and Left is leaving no stone unturned to humiliate the Government. It will not be out of place to mention that China took 13 years to finalise similar deal with US. India has taken only 2 years so far. The deal is being differed, hence the deal may be through within the next one two years.
RE:Bush administration blundered in selling N-deal:US Law maker.
by Sahadevan KK on Oct 23, 2007 01:30 PM Permalink
A Prime Minister for 'Resignation', who does not work for Indians and tries to tide us to the U.S. Read my blog on http://sahadevan.wordpress.com/ http://www.geocities.com/kksahadevan/
left is 100%, they are raised very genuine issue , if congressi is commiited to democratic norms, they should debate on national chanel on neclear energy,, they are getting enough commision and getting out of dated technology,, they are not interested in national interest , all poeple have right to know the interest of national,, the energy generated by neclear power plant is most expensive,, and mostly unsuitable for long term,, we have 5 other type of generating electricity by using other souces like hydroelectric, wind, ocean,, evergreen usabel and not polluted ways,,,enron was the greatest blunder of congressi culture, what happened to that companny , who is responsible for that,,,, whole bunch of fool politician are becoming the hero out of nothing,, the rule to country is very simple , but our politician are looting the public money and befooling the public,, now their days are over,,,, public ask question,, they need answers
RE:dnot fall prey to capitalist agenda of profit and enslaving the mind of people
by jay krishnan on Oct 23, 2007 11:44 AM Permalink
very well said Bhupinder.
