Constitution has given the right to Indian citizens to live in any part of the country: Markandey Katju
Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju on Friday described the feeling of insecurity among people from the northeast as well as their exodus from several places, including Bangalore, as a “disgrace to the entire country”.
Inaugurating a seminar on ‘Media and its responsibilities’, organised by the All-India Small and Medium Newspapers’ Federation in Bangalore, Mr. Katju said the main reason that increased fear among these people was the fact that they could be easily identified.
He sought to remind everybody that the Constitution had given the right to Indian citizens to live in any part of the country. Referring to the “son of the soil” movement being taken up in Maharashtra to give prominence to local people, he said most of such people who were supporting such movement themselves were actually migrants who were under the impression that they were the original inhabitants.
‘Country of migrants’
He said India itself was a country of migrants as 92 to 93 per cent of its people were from other regions of the world, especially northwest parts. This was the reason why Indian culture as well as looks of its people were so diverse. The only way to have a stable establishment in such a situation was by ensuring secularism and equal rights to all, he said.
Pointing out that the country was going through a transitional phase, where it was getting transformed from feudalism to modernity, he said this phase, to be expected to last for another 20 years, would be very turbulent. He appealed to the media to help the country quickly and safely go through this transitional phase by making serious efforts to build rationality, reasoning and modernity among people.
He reiterated that he had appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to bring the electronic media under the jurisdiction of the Press Council of India by rechristening it as Media Council of India.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj hailed the role played by small and medium newspapers in highlighting the local issues and problems that were of concern to people.
Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao and federation’s national president Gurinder Singh also spoke.
Mr. Katju was critical of what he called the wrong priorities of the electronic media with a focus on sensationalism. He particularly took exception to they giving more importance to film stars and cricketers than to the serious problems being faced by the country such as farmers’ suicide, unemployment, poverty and hunger deaths.
Astrological shows
He came down on astrological shows which had become daily fixtures on most of the TV channels. “It is pure nonsense as those astrologers suggest what should be the colour of the shirt that you have to wear as per your birth star to be lucky,” he said, and urged the media, particularly electronic media, to focus on building scientific temper as well as rational spirit among people rather than promoting blind belief.
Whatever happened was a very unfortunate thing to happen. Even after 65
years of independence if the people from an important region like North
East are still feeling so isolated, it is a shame on our governance, all
these so called five year plans, special packages for North East etc.
Even now if some one from rest of India visits some places in North
East, it is surprising to listen "some one from India has come". It is
high time to bridge the gap between people and ensure equitable
development across all regions.
I do fully agree with Mr. Katju for accusing the Indian media of promoting blind faith and sensationalism in our society.I do love some indian news papers like The Hindu some magazines like The Frontline etc because they mostly raise issues of public importance.I think it is because they mostly fall into the hands of educated people of india but most of the hindi news papers and cheap magazines mostly come to the less educated or somehow-literate-people so they concentrate on the titbits etc.I have seen so many reporters work in connivance with local police stations and corrupt officials in order to get their share in their loots.How can they give prominence to the issues of public concern?Here it is the resposibility of these vernacular news papers to recruit socially conscious people and train them what to report and how to report etc as correspondents.
I agree with the views expressed by Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju that he was critical of what he called the wrong priorities of the electronic media with a focus on sensationalism and particularly took exception to they giving more importance to film stars and cricketers than to the serious problems being faced by the country such as farmers’ suicide, unemployment, poverty and hunger deaths.He rightly came down on astrological shows which had become daily fixtures on most of the TV channels. “It is pure nonsense as those astrologers suggest what should be the colour of the shirt that you have to wear as per your birth star to be lucky,” he said, and urged the media, particularly electronic media, to focus on building scientific temper as well as rational spirit among people rather than promoting blind belief. He said India itself was a country of migrants as 92 to 93 per cent of its people were from other regions of the world, especially northwest parts.
Absolutely right. If USA had stuck to "sons of soil" policy only Red
Indians (native Americans) would have lived there. Lots of Indians, from
all regions of India, who are very prosperous there, would have been
struggling in India, if America also followed this policy. We should
learn to be generous when we enjoy generosity of others. The fundamental
duty of a citizen is to respect the constitution. We are born with human
body but mostly with animal mind. We should strive hard to convert our
mind into human mind, which is to love all.
What Justice Mr. Katju says is absolutely right.His assertion that media is not getting its priorities right often is a fact of life.On north-east violence that spread to other states too.is also a stark truth.Fleeing north-east people from other parts of the country is reminiscent of partition days I personally passed through all those days.Over crowded trains the same hardships undergone by panicky passengers leaving their work places in fear of life are all repetition of days preceding and following partition.Are we heading for another fraternal strife?Central Government should be more agile to stem the rot that has set in in the body politic of India.Central governments response to what is happening is shameful.Instead of tackling the situation head on they are the government is after 'who are behind this conflagration.
The exodus shows a scare syndrome and lack of confidence in fairplay
in the national context.This can be prevented by improving the profile
of the states involved by building a North East House with maybe
about two hundred rooms(only three star) in all the distant state
capitals to sell their handicrafts and also cater to the restuarant
requirement specialising in North East delicasies.It will soon change
if the eastern governments work in concert to improve the situation.
"Pointing out that the country was going through a transitional phase, where it was getting transformed from feudalism to modernity..."
Not very likely.
Our constitution is a note generated from British,French and American constitutions in the way good students prepare notes for passing exam in competitive examination.So for all its flaws, only the original sources need to be blamed.
A responsible electronic media is a pillar of peoples democracy.Playing to the sensibilities
of people withstanding morality,nationalism and irrational behavior is not in the best interest
of electronic media.To brand all politicians corrupt and as avatars of evil continuously would
lead to a leaderless society.A politician is approachable at ease by each and every one at
least in Kerala and they flag peoples issues to appropriate authorities.I share to the views
of Chairman,PCI but disagree to empire building of forming a media council of India.Let
there be. Separate Electronic media council of India as monitoring these emerging media
require expertise and EMCI should have teeth which PCI does not have.The recent exodus
is a national shame and disgrace.
India has to learn that threat of cyber war is real and must counter it by offensive. Complaining to Pakistan and providing proof will not yield any result. It also shows that India, as it is governed by the present government, stands divided amongst northeast, south, north, J&K etc. How many times have the central ministers have visited northeast in their tenure versus visiting their home in govt. aircrafts. Maoists have been created by the govt., not by external forces.
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