The pattern is continuing. First it was Gujarat in 2002. Madhya Pradesh and Orissa followed suit. Now the State sponsored violence has come to Karnataka. One does not require great 
reasoning to make sense of the developments. Various statements that our ‘great’ leaders are making are a good-enough proof to illustrate the point. 
The Bhajrang Dal, the Vishwa Hindu Parishat and the RSS do not need any reason to carry out their hate campaign against minorities. For sometime, it was Muslims. Just now Muslims are given a break. Christians have obviously become their bête noir. Who knows? Once they are fed up with Christians, they may go to Dalits. (In fact, Dalits have long been their target anyway.) Fascists basically thrive on annihilating everyone else, except themselves. What they do not realise is what they will do when everyone is gone!
Coming to ‘conversion’ – an age old issue. In fact, this is not an issue for debate at all, even if the BJP claims it as important. The Constitution of India has clarified it quite clearly (A 25). So how can the Bhajrang Dal assume responsibility to be the custodian of anti-conversion process? How can a bunch of hooligans represent an entire Hindu religion, which in fact, is an umbrella religion, and which has a rich tradition of being a tolerant religion? One does not require a scientific analysis to judge the hidden, but political, agenda of the BJP.
The media have indeed given quite a bit of coverage to the hate campaign in the State. However, what media have rather failed to understand is the clear and pretty open political motifs behind the violence. The sole purpose of such aggressive and systematic violence against Christians is merely to communalise regions and communities and polarise voters on the basis of divisive politics, to be able to garner enough votes in the coming elections.
Barring a couple of newspapers, no media institution has given space and time to go behind the developments and bring out the truth. This may be either because they are scared or they do not care. Further, whatever coverage they have given looks stereotyped, with a couple of news channels even subscribing to the false allegation of the issue of conversion. What many newspapers and channels have failed to observe and strongly condemn is the fact that these attacks on Christians have been unleashed with the total support and encouragement of the ruling party. It is only because of this that the State chief of the Bhajrang Dal, Pramod Kumar,
has the audacity to claim responsibility publicly and even encourage such violence, caring a hoot to the secular fabric of our Constitution, much less the legal system.
Again, after a few days media institutions will forget the whole issue, without carrying out a meaningful debate on the malicious, divisive politics of the State government. Media, in the long run, will, of course, be held responsible for not creating a meaningful and all-important public opinion on communal politics and brining about awareness among the public.
reasoning to make sense of the developments. Various statements that our ‘great’ leaders are making are a good-enough proof to illustrate the point. 
The Bhajrang Dal, the Vishwa Hindu Parishat and the RSS do not need any reason to carry out their hate campaign against minorities. For sometime, it was Muslims. Just now Muslims are given a break. Christians have obviously become their bête noir. Who knows? Once they are fed up with Christians, they may go to Dalits. (In fact, Dalits have long been their target anyway.) Fascists basically thrive on annihilating everyone else, except themselves. What they do not realise is what they will do when everyone is gone!
Coming to ‘conversion’ – an age old issue. In fact, this is not an issue for debate at all, even if the BJP claims it as important. The Constitution of India has clarified it quite clearly (A 25). So how can the Bhajrang Dal assume responsibility to be the custodian of anti-conversion process? How can a bunch of hooligans represent an entire Hindu religion, which in fact, is an umbrella religion, and which has a rich tradition of being a tolerant religion? One does not require a scientific analysis to judge the hidden, but political, agenda of the BJP.The media have indeed given quite a bit of coverage to the hate campaign in the State. However, what media have rather failed to understand is the clear and pretty open political motifs behind the violence. The sole purpose of such aggressive and systematic violence against Christians is merely to communalise regions and communities and polarise voters on the basis of divisive politics, to be able to garner enough votes in the coming elections.
Barring a couple of newspapers, no media institution has given space and time to go behind the developments and bring out the truth. This may be either because they are scared or they do not care. Further, whatever coverage they have given looks stereotyped, with a couple of news channels even subscribing to the false allegation of the issue of conversion. What many newspapers and channels have failed to observe and strongly condemn is the fact that these attacks on Christians have been unleashed with the total support and encouragement of the ruling party. It is only because of this that the State chief of the Bhajrang Dal, Pramod Kumar,
has the audacity to claim responsibility publicly and even encourage such violence, caring a hoot to the secular fabric of our Constitution, much less the legal system.Again, after a few days media institutions will forget the whole issue, without carrying out a meaningful debate on the malicious, divisive politics of the State government. Media, in the long run, will, of course, be held responsible for not creating a meaningful and all-important public opinion on communal politics and brining about awareness among the public.
6 comments:
Melwyn well written article. I too feel that somehow the media has highlighted only one issue: conversion. In that way it has failed to study the problem at depth.
Jossie D'Mello
i am sorry to say that, some media persons in Mangalore are acting as agents of Sangh Parivars. One should think seriously about the saffronized media persons and media. Their role in spreading fascism in Karnataka is very high.
The fascists use violence to come to the power and modify the democracy as per their needs and the media persons do the work of catalysts in spreading the fascism. Earlier, dalits were targetted. Later Muslims and now Christians. Dont know who is next...
Hmmm... this article got me thinking. but as a media student i do not completely agree that 'media has failed to understand the clear and pretty open political motifs behind the violence'.
To a certain extent Newspapers have failed on their part to do justice to the issue, but two of the country's popularly watched News channels are doing extensive coverage on the recent politically motivated violence.
CNN-IBN and NDTV have done some fair justice to the problems. Barkha Dutt's 'We the People'had emminent personalities and representatives of the society and the topic was 'should Bajrang Dal be banned too?'(in the issue of banning SIMI) and they discussed focussing on the atrocities committed by the Bajrang Dal in the light of the attacks in Karnataka. Most were in favour of a Ban because the planned attacks are terrorism acts and if SIMI can be banned then so should the BAjrang Dal.
Karan Thapar addressed another point at the same time in his show 'The Devil's Advocate' with Congress spokeperson, Kapil Sibal as the guest. Under fire by Karan's strong questions they comprehensively foccussed on the Centre to work on solutions and preventive measures.
In response to this article to say that 'no media institution has given space and time to go behind the developments and bring out the truth' is a generalisaton and not completely true.
Media persons are not insensitive machines. we have feelings too and are sensitive and receptive to the commnunal violence promoted by political agendas. And these issues being covered by popular channels in depth covering all aspects of Secularism, Communalism and Politics, is proof enough that Media still has strands of the 'Watchdog' policy left in its clothing.
Dear Melwyn,
Itz really a thought provoking article. Your presentation and the analysis of facts is good. Itz hightime, all of us voiced our strong opinion against the systematic ploy employed by the saffron brigade to communalize the secular fabric of our nation. Itz sad politics in our state and what is shocking is that some of us are still indifferent about the recent events. Letz all arise and shout: Into that haven of freedom my father, let my country awake! Ban Bazrangdal, RSS or any other communal forces who are a threat to country's peace and harmony. Brian
Well done Melwyn for speaking out for many - your article expresses the feelings of many of us who are left to wonder about the state of minorities of this country. It is true that it is a minority of fundamentalists that indulge in such senseless acts. Yet, what is worying is the role of the politicians for political gains and the apparent indifference of the media about such inhuman acts. What can the minoroties do when the whole government machinary including the political leaders, the police and the administration join hands and harp on the issue of conversions. We need to do more to expose their lies and more importantly their intolerance and hatred for other faiths. It is shame really that our political leaders use these difficult times for political gains.
Let no Hindu be under the illusion that outfits like Bajarng Dal, VHP and RSS are the protectors of Hinduism! In the Christian history too when Christianity fell in the hands of political institutions like kings and monarchs that Christianity actually reached its lowest ebb. This has begun to happen to Hinduism today, when the hooligans of Bhajarang Dal claim to be the protectors of Hinduism. Should the people who do not hesitate to rape and burn people alive be the ones to protect Dharma? Can they actually do it? The Hindutva outfits are doing Hinduism more a harm than favour. Let every sensible Hindu realise this and react. As Dr. Karnad recently said: Hinduism is protected by people like Kanakadas and not by RSS! He has rightly analysed the situation. Let the Hindu folk rise and stop the vulgarization of their religion by the Hindutva outfits.
- Jossie
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