New Delhi, January 24: Bapu Asaram made obscene gestures and publicly ridiculed eunuchs during his Satsang program. This was the headline in some national level news channels.
Once again, some of the media channels are prompt in alleging Hindu saints using self made news and particularly, Sant Asaram Bapu ji seems to be their prime target. Many national level news channels broadcasted a video in which Asaram Bapu ji was citing an example of eunuch named Kamla Bua (Kinnar) who contested general elections from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. She defeated the candidates of congress party and BJP and won accolades from all corners for her wisdom. Even her opponents praised her.
In Ujjain Satsang, Sant Asaram Bapu narrated the extraordinary success story of eunuch Kamla to his followers in a very encouraging style. Further praising the wisdom of this eunuch leader, the Sant Asaram Bapu told that she took people across people from all religions in her favor and won the elections. Sant Asaram Bapu further told his followers that she developed patience and self-confidence that enabled her to win this election. One can see the original video here. After watching this video you can easily judge from yourself that does this encouragement and praising of eunuch Kamla fall under category of obscene gestures.
From such kind of reporting, it appears that practical journalism is going in entirely different path with respect to literal meaning and values associated with the journalism. We were taught in our childhood that media or a news channel brings true image of society. After going through the news reported by some well known media channels (e.g., Star news, AAj Tak), basic understanding with regard to journalism has completely shaken and some questions are emerging.
1. Are these only channels diverting from the basic principle of journalism or Are there more channels in same queue?
2. Whether these channels report every news in a similar fashion unintentionally in order to increase their TRPs or they supply such kind of special services (of defaming) intentionally to make monetary benefits?
In this particular case of Sant Asaram Bapu, the video run by these channels was first distorted with respect to this original video in order to make this news sensational news. In the video, only Sant Asaram Bapu way of clapping (like a eunuch who generally does this while asking for donation in marriages) was focused and broadcasted. The news reader commentary was going side by side. The news started with defamation of Hindu saints and finally focused to defaming Sant Asaram Bapu. This combination of video editing, with demoing commentary, the news channel created a sensational news that was intentionally telecasted repeatedly to defame Sant Asaram Bapu . Interestingly but not surprisingly (as earlier too these channel did this kind of job), this time these news channels followed pre planned strategy to defame the image of Sant Asaram Bapu through their channels. The first news heading was:
1. Eunuch Community staged a protest rally at Ahmedabad. Videos were shown and slogans can be heard very easily that were against Sant Asaram Bapu. The surprising elements in this reporting are:
A. The Sant Asaram Bapu program was at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Asaram bapu have spoken in favor of eunuch Kamla at the Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh. Kamla is representing from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Further, Asaram Bapu ashram was brutally attacked by police in Ahmedabad. Asaram Bapu followers were detained in Ahmedabad. Asaram Bapu ashram was alleged of land encroachment even without any substantial evidence of land encroachment case for a ashram that too very near (around 20 KM) from Ahmedabad. However, if the Kamla ji was from Madhya Pradesh, Why did a bunch of Kinnars (there were not more than 14 as can be easily see in the video) choose Ahmedabad as location to protest against the Sant Asaram Bapu rather than choosing Madhya Pradesh. The Sant Asaram Bapu was in the Madhya Pradesh for a long period of time. Why did Ahmedabad become a center of agitation?
The most surprising fact was that Kamla, about whom Sant Asaram Bapu discussed, comes forward and told that the Sant Asaram Bapu is like her guru. And she is elated to hear that that Sant Asaram Bapu used her example of patience and confidence to encourage his followers in the Ujjain shivir. This video can be accessed here. When this news was being telecasted, another national leader of eunuch community Jatani ji mahraj comes forward and reuested media channels not to spread wrong rumours about the Sant Asaram Bapu. Please see this video here.
Also, another national President of eunuch community Shabnam Mausi supported the Sant Asaram Bapu without any conditions after viewing the fake news that was reported by this national level news channel.
Now a couple of question appears that were these bunch of eunuchs pretending to protest against the Sant Asaram Bapu represent the eunuch community? OR Were they featured stars of our media channels in their videos? Once this news was telecasted, another news came from the same news channel that was more fascination than the earlier news. That news claimed to end the drama similar to our hindi movies drama that too end in second half. Second half of this drama starts with:
2. Asaram bapu apologies to the eunuch community. With regard to this, a very simple question is: if eunuch community leaders (kamla ji, Jatani ji, national level leaders of eunuch community) are not against the Sant Asaram Bapu, then why there is a need of having an apology from the eunuch community?
News channel claimed that Asaram bapu sadhaks personally to apologize on behalf of Sant Asaram Bapu. However, the channels did not get enough courage to show the faces of sadhaks of Sant Asaram Bapu. Were there really sadhaks or another supporting actors of this news video. Lastly, the self proposed leader of bunch of kinnars claimed that Asaram bapu called her and then apologized. As per common sense, an alleged person will always either make an apology to the affected person or to the leaders of tha community. So based on this common sense, why would a person (who has been alleged to use obscene language) call to another person who is neither the offended one nor even represent the particular community. This is a matter of common sense and no further questions are raised on the ability of script writer of this story. Finally, eunuchs community got a written apology, here too media channel did not get enough courage to give even a glimpse of the written apology.
It seems that media reporting is coming into a new era of reporting. In that era, they may offer services with a disclaimer: we offer news creating services to our clients. In this news creating services, we will prepare required videos that will include real life actors. The budget will depend on the length of the movie and the person against whom that movie will be prepared. Though this scenario is completely imaginary, but many of our national level news channels have already become experts in such kind of opportunities. Sant Asaram Bapu is only a single case that we are referring to. We have firm belief that other innocents too were also targeted by this section of media.
–Agencies