Those gathered at the Azad Maidan on Saturday were protesting against the killing of Muslims in Assam and Myanmar, so we are told. But what happened in Assam? Sorry for asking, but this was exactly what my friend asked me when I sat down to write about the Assam riots. I am frustrated by the double standards of our media. We know what is happening at the London Olympics, we know what happened in a gurdwara in Wisconsin, we even know what happened in Mumbai on Saturday. Assam is as much a part of our country as Mumbai is. Why is there no information on what is going on in Assam? Am I being cynical in thinking that we do not hear much from the State because Muslims are being targeted there?
M. Z. Imran
Bangalore
It is ironical that the protest rally, organised by the Raza Academy to highlight the “poor” media coverage of violence against Muslims in Myanmar and Assam, itself turned violent claiming the lives of two persons and injuring many. That Mumbai, a city known for its resilience, should have become the venue for such unrest resulting in death and destruction, is a cause for concern.
A. Michael Dhanaraj,
Coimbatore
The violent behaviour of some angry Muslims against the police and mediapersons in Mumbai is condemnable but their anger should be viewed in the context of the continuous harassment of Muslims over several decades by the city’s police. During the mass killing of Muslims in January 1993, the police played a blatantly partisan role.
Jawid Laiq,
New Delhi
The attack on mediapersons covering the Mumbai protest is condemnable. The media is not responsible for the killing of Muslims in Assam or Myanmar. In fact, it is the media that is responsible for bringing the incidents to light. Taking out the ire on mediapersons for what a group thinks is inadequate coverage of an incident cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Manzar Imam,
New Delhi
