Offstumped Hall of Fame 2006
The honor goes to:
1. President APJ Abdul Kalam for sending back the Office of Profit Bill
On May 31 2006 Offstumped had lauded http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/05/31/736418.aspx President Kalam for his statesmanship in sending back the most self serving piece of Legislation ever to have been authored by the Indian Parliament which was all about preserving the Public Servant’s vested interest and did not have SINGLE WORD in it for the Public Interest – The Office of Profit Bill
2. The Indian Express for dedicating a column every day for 200 odd days in memory of each of the 7-11 dead Mumbaikars
3. The Mumbai Bloggers who put out valuable information in the aftermath of the 7-11 communications breakdown.
4. The Late Ustad Bismillah Khan who’s legacy was a repudiation of secular narrow mindedness that was in demonstration on the Vande Mataram Issue.
Offstumped on 22 Aug 2006 had hoped http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/08/22/1334389.aspx that the late Ustad Bismillah Khan who showed us the wisdom of worshipping god through music irrespective of its lyrics or origins could have played the National Song on his shehanai to remind us and future generations on what it used to mean when the freedom struggle was being fought.
5. Mahatma Gandhi for continuing to be the moral compass for this Nation in its darkest hour and for providing a doctrine to fight terrorism
Offstumped had on 27th July 2006 looked to the Mahatma for direction http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/07/27/1074107.aspx as the Indian State debated its response to terror. Gandhi’s message was that the Nation must be purely guided by its primary duty to its citizens and not by any other moral considerations and that the State must not take recourse to inaction under the cover of the resilience of its people. More specifically the State when in posession of legitimate intelligence on intentions of terrorist to hurt and kill its citizens must act proactively to pre-empt, such pre-emption is morally consciable for the alternative is willing inaction which is immoral. The state must not rule out going to war against terrorism in fulfilling its duty as long as it does so fully mindful of its consequences and has demonstrated the capacity to accept those consequences with equanimity. This message continues to be lost on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Offstumped Hall of Shame 2006
The shame goes to:
1. All of mainstream Indian media for post 7-11 opinion making
On July 14th 2006 Offstumped had observed that http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/07/14/1005130.aspx the mood had hardened across the nation. The Indian Express’ editorial position was even more direct and stinging when it decried the Congress led UPA Government’s Communalization of Anti-Terror Policy. Going a step further the Indian Express also called Dr. Singh’s state of denial on Pakistan’s sponsorship of terror by asking him to boldly embark on a path of openly supporting the democratic movement in Pakistan. The traditionally left of center Outlook Magazine carried a commentary from the leading light of Counter-Terrorism in India, KPS Gill on why mere rhetoric in Parliament and Media is insufficient to fight terror while lamenting on the lack of political will in India to take terror head on. The Daily News and Analysis in separate editorial pieces came out strongly that the time had come to say enough and called on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to act now. The normally Left of Center Hindu with its pacifist positions made a closing remark in its lead editorial that hard decisions based on a rigorous analysis of India’s options in the face of recurrent acts of terror can no longer be deferred. There was a palpable mood change in the Nation and its Intelligenstia. But all that fizzled out no sooner than angst about 7-11 vanished from the headlines and in the smoke from Singh Musharraf bonhomie in Havana. The Indian Media once again demonstrated its lack of conviction and reminded us that its opinions shift whichever way the wind blows.
2. Media coverage of the demolitions in Vadodara
On 8th May 2006 Offstumped had pointed out http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/05/08/664259.aspx how there was utter confusion in the media on who the Dargah belonged to, while they had no clue what lied beneath that tombstone they all felt it important enough to manufacture headlines for after all it was a Narendra Modi ruled Gujarat and anything remotely Muslim being demolished must be an outrage. The national media once again reminded us how sitting in Delhi it can manufacture news with scant regard to accuracy or the truth.
3. N. Ram and The Hindu for dedicating more editorial space to the Israel Lebanon Hezbollah Conflict than 7-11
On 5th Sept 2006 Offstumped had shown http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/09/05/1498112.aspx that the editorial page in The Hindu from July 11th to Sept 5th had manufactured consent by taking the CPI-M’s line of castigating Israel for the Lebanon Hezbollah conflict while completely ignoring the 7-11 Mumbai Bomb Blasts.
4. Vir Sanghvi, Pankaj Vora and the Hindustan Times for having become Congress mouthpieces
On 29th March 2006 Offstumped had exposed http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/03/29/575476.aspx the insidious spin machine in Sanghvi, Vora and the rest of HT editorial staff that came to Sonia’s rescue when Parliament was shamefully adjourned to save Sonia from the ignominy of disqualification on the Office of Profit Issue and Sonia was left with no honorable option but to resign.
5. Shobhan Saxena of Times News Network for racially insinuating Indian Bloggers.
On 02 October 2006, Offstumped had issued a rejoinder http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/2006/10/02/1802492.aspx to Shobhan Saxena of the Times News Network who had written a piece titled “Bloggers’ rubbish” which appeared on the TOI website. Shobhan you were right, Indian blogging is a dangerous trend. Dangerous not to Indian society at large but dangerous specifically to the Op-Ed Opinion Makers in the mainstream media who have arrogated to themselves the monopoly on all public opinion and debate. Indian Blogs are a repudiation of this elitism and psuedo intellectual arrogance. Free Speech in a Liberal Society is about Opinions that are neither controlled nor regulated. If you are a true believer of free speech you would have the strength of conviction to face up to these opinions rather than call them a dangerous trend.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Our communal socialist prime minister’s joint mechanism to fight terrorism is a surprising omission from the hall of shame.
[...] Offstumped compiles a list of the the outstanding stories of 2006. As the year comes to an end, we will probably see many such retrospectives. [...]
Great post Offstuped. I have included a link on my blog…
> The Indian Express for dedicating a column every day for 200 odd days in memory of each of the 7-11 dead Mumbaikars
You could have taken the effort the get the exact count.
The protests against any amendment to the RTI act were given a lot of positive coverage by the media, and I thought would have made this list.
Finally, in defence of The Hindu; though it is a mistake to not have properly covered the 7/11 Mumbai blasts, I do not see the point of accusing The Hindu of leaning towards the Left ideology. The editorial page is what it is. It reflects the opinions of the editor, and is not news, nor is it supposed to be.
Rearc – There was no practical way to count the exact number, nevertheless point taken. As far as your retort on The Hindu goes its left leaning doesnt stop at editorial comment but extends to News Analysis and News Reporting. Please go and read the entire original article. To your point on RTI not making the list, I maybe challenged for saying this but I continue hold RTI way down in the priority list of whats important for the nation, there is a place and time for RTI, happy to see the progress made thanks to the efforts of the NGOs which got the well deserved Magasayay award but there are far more compelling national issues that I would like to see addressed first before I get down to RTI.
Shantanu – Thanks for your comment, I visited your blog was honored to read your very kind words on Offstumped.
That was a good selection of good and bad. The UPA government should have been added to the hall of shame for reiterating its resolve not to fight terror, and not only that, the Kashmir CM, coming to the support of a terrorist and warning the entire nation of dire consequences.
[...] Offstumped looks back on the fames and shames of Indian politics and Media in 2006. The bloggers had some role to play in it. The Middle Stage categorically short lists from the Indian books published in 2006. Readers were also encouraged to mention their books of the year. A Point of View reviews mostly Indian classical music that reigned in the year 2006. [...]
thanks for the interesting post touching India and Indian politics
Now Feminism seems to be hitting at politics too
Please have a look at this news item
http://o3.indiatimes.com/mera/archive/2007/01/18/3412103.aspx
…..and I’d welcome your comments
regards
vinayak
http://o3.indiatimes.com/mera/archive/2007/01/18/3412103.aspx
I would like to comment that, most of the Indian Media is politically biased and immature, especially when it comes to BJP rules states they are surprisingly misleading the readers and viewers in this country. Infact, in my true knowledge BJP ruled states are doing well in many aspects if not all compare to other states.We know that there is not a single news paper or visual media which is not run by a family in this country.If you consider CNN-IBN it is the most visibly biased visual media channel ever India have seen, so obsessed with Gandhi dynasty,Rajdeep and his Wife Sagarika is totally after Narendra Modi and BJP. If Modi sneezes it is a headline story in CNN-IBN!.if you consider NDTV PRANNOY ROY is trying his best to be a pseudo-secularist. But if we closely watch each of their programs it is increasingly getting biased and a person with common sense can understand what is going on behind the scene.Prannoy Roy and Barkha Dutta believes they are the only intellectuals left in this country!.If you look at the news papers, we know the history of Indian express. What role Goenka played in Indian politics utilizing his family run news paper business.Vir Sanghvi of Hindustantimes ( Late KK Birla is a staunch congressman) is all the way praising Sonia as if his career itself is pledged for that cause. A fair exemption can be made for Times of India ,I don’t know If I am correct.Otherwise there is a serious conspiracy going on this country by these new founded intellectual Pseudo Secularists.We must be able to differentiate what is right and what is wrong as these channels are targeting young urban population mixing news with bit of masalas and Tabloid especially the Hip-hop culture. They are not aware that their credibility and neutrality is being lost infront of the masses.In India Media ethics is a neglected truth.It is the era of family run businesses for personal and political gains.In the name of freedom of speech they are misleading the people to make thier own profit and gains.Who care where this will lead the country to?????
I may be dubbed as a fundamentalist because of my comments,that is the new trend prevail in India.But reality bites and people should analyze the news particles coming to them before believing in it.Because for many ,it affects thier intellectual behaviour. There should be some accountability of the Media institutions in this country and we the Citizens are responsible for that.Please Beware.