The Media Underbelly needs a close look

The Media Underbelly needs a close look

By MG Devasahayam,

India’s media is under vituperative attack from Arvind Kejriwal, the “Media Manufactured Messiah” firing from all cylinders. Editors Guild of India (EGI) is perturbed and baffled. Couple of weeks ago, when former Army Chief, General VK Singh used the word ‘presstitutes’ to describe certain journalists, EGI rebuked him and urged the public figures not to resort to "vague, unsubstantiated charges of corrupt motives and abuses when refuting, questioning or criticising the media and keep the public discourse civil and within reasonable bounds." 

The other day print media veteran Chitra Subramanian and her electronic media colleague Dhanya Rajendran wrote a piece “Army and Media – Gen VK Singh writes to Home Minister” and placed these letters in the public domain. These letters dated 13.11.2013 and 09.12.2013 respectively ask for criminal prosecution and preventive detention of senior editors and journalists who, he alleges, have violated national laws including the National Security Act and the Official Secrets Act. 

The offences committed range from “abetting mutiny in the armed forces…” to “promoting enmity between different religious groups…” to “acting in a manner that is prejudicial to the defence of India and the security of the state…” Additionally, the journalists are accused of “…being in possession or control of any secret document or information and willfully communicating the same disclosure of which is likely to affect the sovereignty and integrity of India…” 

Mere use of an oft quoted cliché ‘presstitute’ had raised the heckles of EGI. Pray what about certain media element’s unrelenting assault on the very integrity of our Armed Forces and security of the nation? And the names contained in the letters are formidable ones. While I do agree with EGI that use of word ‘presstitutes’ is unbecoming of a former chief of the Indian Army, may I ask this august body as to what they are going to do with the charges of sedition, treason and ‘abetting mutiny’ against some of its own stalwarts.

General VK Singh has been candid in his interview published in ‘thenewsminute’. He has said that Home Minister Shinde must realize the gravity of the complaint because issues/offences like sedition, treason and gross violation of the Official Secrets Act have been raised. According to him there has been clear violation of journalistic ethics and any reasonable enquiry will immediately expose the entire nexus between the Arms lobby and certain key bureaucrats/politicians who have then used certain pliable media people to do their bidding. His expectation is that the entire matter should be fairly and expeditiously investigated and exemplary action taken against the culprits so that any further festering of the grievous wound on the nation is prevented.

The General is so sure of his facts that in the interview he said this: “What we are dealing with here is nothing short of treason. Surely, it must be investigated. You find something against me I'll take it on the chest. But if these people are guilty, as they most certainly are, why are you shying away from taking any action? I think in most parts of the world treason is perhaps one of the most heinous of crimes.”

The fact is that these offences and their exposure by General VK Singh have been ruthlessly suppressed by the media at all levels. EGI and the media barons need to explain why. They should clarify as to whether for them national interest is supreme or the wellbeing of the arms lobby and its cohorts who have been bleeding the Armed Forces dry!

It is not that these serious charges were brought out by General VK Singh because he was vexed with the way Government handled his date of birth issue. Much earlier-on 19 June 2012-Admiral L. Ramdas, who had retired as the Naval Chief nearly two decades ago wrote to Prime Minister and Defence Minister on similar lines seeking a full-fledged Commission of Inquiry.

Inter alia he wrote: “We believe that the above developments have adversely affected the morale of the services and serving personnel, while at the same time signaling an unhealthy, rising tide of dissatisfaction within the retired fraternity of the Indian Armed Forces…..We are also firmly of the view that this situation must be addressed with urgency, because it could pose a serious threat to our national security concerns. Therefore we earnestly submit that the spate of events enumerated above, which have rocked the Army in recent months, must be thoroughly investigated.”

Government kept silent and media suppressed the news! Government of course had lots to hide and skins to save. But why is the media playing ball? What are its compulsions? It is time its underbelly is searched and answers found! And this is the task cut out for EGI?

[Writer is former Army and IAS Officer and author]

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