It is unfortunate that attacks on the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, are rising. The 25th report of the International Federation of Journalists which was released on February 3, 2016 lists the deaths of 2,297 media professionals as a consequence of violence.
It is a matter of shame that journalists in New Delhi, irrespective of their gender, were pushed around in court on Wednesday, intimidated and had their cameras and mobile phones damaged (“ >Jaitley condemns attack on media ”, “ >JNU leader thrashed in court ” and “ >Repeat of Monday’s violence ”, all Feb.18). There has to be active intervention from the top levels of government to stop the tide of violence against journalists. The media has a right to have a safe working environment.
S.K. Khosla,
Chandigarh
The permission granted to “commemorate” the death anniversary of Afzal Guru inside the JNU campus showed a clear lack of foresight. It is beyond one’s comprehension why the authorities did not pay much attention to what was being planned. In any case, the chanting of anti-national and pro-Pakistan slogans cannot be tolerated. However, with some sections of JNU students making it clear that they repose their faith in the Constitution and the judiciary and not having had a part in chanting ‘anti-national slogans’, ways and means have to found now to arrive at a solution. The violence unleashed against Kanhaiya Kumar is condemnable.
S. Srinivasan,
Chennai
To fully enjoy the freedoms guaranteed in our secular constitution, it behoves all of us, especially those in the majority, to be tolerant of the ‘private behaviour’ of others, offensive though they may be. Even eating beef and worshipping Mahishasur comes under such an area. If one disagrees with it, one does not have to join it. The same nonchalant attitude could be adopted when it comes to ‘rooting for Pakistan’ or ‘celebrating Afzal Guru’. Our democracy is only strengthened by tolerance and not by draconian government interventions, imposed violently on the population by its foot soldiers. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police instead of wasting time and resources by snooping on the student body, could perhaps turn its attention to real crime fighting (“ >Police wanted CCTV cameras installed on varsity campus ”, Feb.18).
G. Parameswaran,
Coimbatore
It is disturbing to have front page news which tells you that your democracy is being torn apart by petty and narrow vested forces. The manner in which the image of the Supreme Court and fundamental rights is being whipped is equally astonishing. If one carefully looks at happenings over the past two years, much more attention is being given by the government than required to issues like beef eating, ghar wapsi, what the RSS says, who is ‘anti-national’, who should go to Pakistan and even the strange cry to save Hindutva. Is this the ‘skilled India’, ‘digital India’, ‘young India’ and ‘ambitious India’ which is aspiring to become a permanent member of UNSC that I want to be a part of? There are many issues which need to be addressed, be it farmer suicides, agrarian distress, unemployment, population control, and the environmental crisis. Most of my friends and I feel hopeless and helpless over the way contemporary politics is taking shape.
Pallavi Sangle,
New Delhi
What is wrong with the Delhi Police (“ >They ate beef, worshipped Mahishasur: police report ”, Feb.18)? When did eating something and praying to a particular god become anti-national activities? What is the need for the constant presence of the police on university campuses? Why do vice chancellors allow it? Are all students terrorists to be followed and watched over by the police? What type of an academic atmosphere will prevail in such conditions? Which direction is India progressing in? Economically forward and socially backward? What is going on in campuses shows that young people who have started questioning authorities on several matters due to their freethinking power and boldness are now the target of politicians as they are beginning to feel uncomfortable.
Rameeza A. Rasheed,
Chennai
The whole nation is being painted red with the JNU crisis as if it is a bread-and-butter issue. Even the sanest voices in the media seem to be in fear that if they do not report minute-by-minute developments of the issue to viewers, they would end up being sidelined. This overdose, something short of madness, needs to stop. The Opposition parties seem to ask the public which side they are on regarding the issue just like how former U.S. President George Bush cautioned the world’s nations in the aftermath of 9/11 about deciding which side of terror they are on. Barring a very minuscule section that has something to do with JNU, the rest of the nation has a more serious agenda on hand to move ahead. The print media would also do us a great favour by relegating JNU-related news to the inner pages. Let the nation breathe easy.
Sivamani Vasudevan,
Chennai
