I watched PEEPLI LIVE movie a few months back. It gave a chilling account of how our media does all kinds of antics just for TRPs and advertisement revenue. Making a mountain off a mole hill is probably mentioned in their KRAs. Ethics have been thrown in the sea to find Osama Bin Laden. In this movie a great tamasha is made when a poor farmer threatens to commit suicide. You must be knowing about the movie, if you are living under a rock google it or read about it on wikipedia.
The farmer who threatens suicide is given attention from all over including central ministers. The reporters dont even shy from detailing about the colour of his shit. However there is a poor landless farmer who now digs soil the whole day and sell it to a brick kiln for 15-20 rupees. One day his dead body is found in the same pit from where he dug soil. No one cares for this man because he couldnt generate the same publicity that the protagonist somehow could. Even the local reporter who has a moment of truth realisation on his death is snubbed by the big news channel journos.
You must be wondering why am I harping on a film which was released nearly a year ago.
Something happened in real life a few days back. Baba Ramdev was on a SATYAGRAHA & FAST in Delhi. He had taken permission from authorities for a yoga camp. However he was talking more politics and less yoga. The government first made a fool of him by releasing his assurance letter that he will withdraw the fast in two days. Next they ordered lathi charge on his supporters in the night, which was as inhuman as it can get.
Gandhiji was on Satyagraha many times against the British rule. I never read about him running away. He was a frail man but faced every thing head on. However, the great Yogi ran away in a women's clothes. He wasn't a Mahatma neither he claimed to be one so we cannot expect the same kind of bravery like the person whom we proudly call father of our nation. I am also sure that even Anna Hazare would have faced the police and gladly had himself arrested instead of jumping off the stage & disappearing in the crowd.
Now Baba Ramdev started his fast from his base location Haridwar. News channels were covering every movement of his. What he was doing, what he was saying, what he was wearing. Like Peepli Live they would have analysed even his shit if given a chance! The government practically showed him the middle finger and said do whatever you want, we dont give a damn. The opposition parties made merry and baked as many political breads as they could in this oven. Enough breads for months.
After nine days of drama and 24/7 reporting on only this issue which was briefly halted to cover the death of M.F.Hussain, Baba Ramdev finally broke his fast in a hospital. Every news channel in India showed him drinking the juice in company of many politico-religious leaders. He really looked in a bad shape health wise. I wondered how come a Yoga expert fails in his fast after just nine days while many lesser people have done it for much longer. Either those people ate and drank secretly or Baba isnt as big yoga expert he claims to be.
In the same hospital an unheard man named Swami Nigmanand died the very same day. He was fasting for protecting river Ganga apparently for 114 days. No one I know had ever heard of him or his cause before his death. In Peepli Live the news reporters were covering and sensationalising Natha and his suicide threats , completely ignoring the poor old farmer who died while digging soil in the hot sun. In real life; news channels were covering each and every activity of Baba Ramdev and similarly if not more sensationalising the issue like the above mentioned film, with not even a mention of another activist who was fasting for 114 days for a very genuine cause. We came to know about him only after his death.
What kind of world are we living in. When will media & politicians show some responsibility instead of only thinking about TRPs or votes. I will not be surprised if Peeple Live producers file a plagiarism case against Baba Ramdev & Swami Nigmanand very soon.
3 comments:
I was wondering how come no new blog came from your end, on this Baba Ramdev issue. Right you are in the field when you compared Ramdev baba and Nigamanand ji. But may be many of Baba Ramdev supporters will come against the blog I guess. Anyways, PEEPLI Live I never saw, but know the main theam it is based on and nice way of presenting the same issue here at your blog. Good one again. Keep it up...!!
I think this blog is a bit too harsh towards Baba Ramdev. Running away on that night may not have *looked* very honorable, but his aims and goals are honest and honorable.
I agree with the blog about the media. But then again, they are businessmen, and if it is cheap, sensational news that sells then it is ultimately a reflection on the character and taste of the general public.
Well Our country and its people have fallen to such low standards that we need people like Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare to lead the way towards absolution. The Blog is neat and I agree about the Politicians and Media. But again we are the ones who encourage them. So mostly its our fault for not waking up, for not taking stand, for taking whatever is given to us and the list continues...
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