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Media Asks No Questions, Only Does ‘bhakti’: Kanhaiya Kumar

Student leader Kanhaiya Kumar being critical of today's media



Kanhaiya Kumar and Panelists at the inaugration (Left to Right: Timothy Franklyn, Kanhaiya Kumar, Vivek Subba Reddy, Saswati Chakravarti & Harichandan Arakali)

By NSoJ Bureau

Today, the media asks no questions but only does ‘bhakti’, Kanhaiya Kumar, student leader said on Friday, September 6. The media, he said, no longer plays the crucial role of a watchdog, nor is it critical of the government in any way, he said, at the inauguration of Slant, a journalism and literary festival organised by the National School of Journalism (NSoJ) at Anandnagar, Hebbal. The media does not fulfill its obligation because today, no media organisation is self-reliant or completely independent in functioning, he pointed out. “Huge investment is needed for a media company and the government can, through red tapism, seek to control media companies. Or for that matter, simply refuse to give government advertisements -- a major source of revenue for these companies,” he pointed out. Hence today’s media has no option but to toe the Government line.

No reporters, only anchors

For a strong, critical media, the idea of reporting itself has to change. “Now there are no reporters, only anchors,” he said. “Also, the anchor is the expert on everything. The anchor does only propaganda,” he stressed. Taking a dig at two leading media personalities, he said: “Today, you are either a fan of Ravish Kumar or of ‘the nation wants to know’.” But journalism is increasingly becoming a dangerous profession, he pointed out. “Yesterday, I was at a function to commemorate the second death anniversary of Gauri Lankesh, and her murder happened right here in this city,” he said. Perhaps the way to progress is to have alternative media, that can survive without government control, he added.

Earlier, in his keynote speech, he said that as citizens, we take our rights for granted. “Someone has asked me if I am a politician. But being a politician is not a job, but a responsibility. It is my responsibility to look for solutions. Because a nation is built by its people and we are the people of India,” he stressed. While the Preamble to the Constitution does not talk about differences or discrimination, “today, in society, there are these various identities -- based on caste, class, religion, region, culture and background.” However, if we stress on the secular, socialist republic spirit of the Constitution, people in the establishment will not like it, he said. “That is because people don’t like criticism. And in my opinion, the most difficult thing is to develop critical understanding. Today, to develop a critical mind is essential. If we don’t, how will human development happen? When critical thinking evolves, humanity goes forward,” he added.

Later, he participated in a panel discussion entitled, ‘Is the Indian Economy punch drunk?' Vivek Subba Reddy, senior advocate and spokesperson BJP, admitted that there has been a slowdown but stated that India is still a manufacturing hub. To this, Mr Kumar retorted: “If that is so, does the Prime Minister travel in a car made in India?”

The other panelists included Saswati Chakravarti, senior journalist and Harichandan Arakali, Tech Editor, Forbes India.


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