Last night while I was interacting with Group Editor, NDTV- Barkha Dutt , someone from the troll brigade picked up my tweet in which I was questioning media’s silence over tribal’s genuine concerns and reproduced it with hash tag “corrupt-media”. When I objected to it, he tagged me “bootlicker”. Strange, when I was questioning media, he re-tweeted my comment and when I refused to be a part of their hysteria, I was a bootlicker.
Since the Radia-tape issue erupted in the Open magazine in its 20 November 2010 issue, it has caught the social networking site like twitter by storm. To add to the problem, media’s silence over the issue further aggravated the situation. However, under intense pressure some TV news channels were forced to take up the issue, even NDTV where Barkha Dutt was questioned by four senior journalists. The issue has rightly put the media and journalists in the dock. Media is considered fourth pillar of our democracy. It surely needs to introspect and answer certain questions. But what I am witnessing here is that a group targeting different journalists, hurling abuses and accusations than asking any meaningful question or offering suggestion with real substance. Worst, few tweeted that Radia was doing her job and its Brakha Dutt who is at fault. And height of hypocrisy, the same brigade said that that lobbying is an accepted and legitimate practice in the west (who cares for its boundaries). Implying everyone else was doing their legitimate job and its only Barkha Dutt who transgressed her limits. What about other journalists who appeared to have gone too far in their claims. Barkha, being a celebrity became not just a soft target but also an easy target for she is active on twitter. Not to forget opposition to her for her kind of journalism which people from certain ideology could not tolerate and Radia-tape expose gave them a tool to go berserk against her.
There are corporate and their lobbyists, who want to subvert the process, install their men to a ministry to suit their interests and they are not at fault because they are doing their job. Barkha Dutt, who described Nira Radia as her news source was not doing her job. I revisited the open magazine site today and found Radia indeed fed her with some real information. The charge against Barkha Dutt that she acted as a messenger in a bigger conspiracy does not hold ground. One, she has denied it saying she was just using Radia as her news source. Two, tapped telephonic conversation between the two alone is not enough to pronounce her guilty. It is suggestive in nature not conclusive. One can argue that Barkha is not telling the truth but the fact is no one knows and no one tried to know to what extent she was involved in the game, if she really was. Throughout the conversation it was Nira Radia who was feeding her with information than Barkha providing anything substantial to her. Further, conversation between the two basically revolved around “talk to the right man” i.e. Karunanidhi. Even if she did pass the message (which she denied), it is of a very general nature than indicating her to be part of any bigger conspiracy. Manu Joseph said on NDTV that he didn’t get a convincing reply to his question that it was “story of the decade” and why didn’t she report it at that time only. Given the backdrop of post-election scenario, tug-of-war for ministerial berths, when every news channel was trying hard to get the latest on the rapidly changing political developments, I think if it didn’t strike her its understandable. Moreover, troll brigade’s own admission that Lobbying is an accepted practice tells it all itself, if it didn’t strike her.
Journalists in the course of their news gathering process come across many people with varying shades. Barkha had herself admitted looking back at the turn of events; she may have made a mistake and has learnt her lessons. I think the matter should rest there or else find enough evidence which can really establish the guilt. If she is guilty, she must pay for her sins. The idea is not to defend Barkha Dutt but question the very basis on which the hysteria has been created against her or anyone who doesn’t agree with their views. Unfortunately, amidst all this we are missing the larger issue of crony capitalism. Corporate lobbying is far more insidious and commercially collusive than the politician-criminal nexus. Lobbyists interfering in policy making process, influencing political parties or government to serve their interests is really a serious issue. It is a kind of crony capitalism posing a serious threat to our democracy. It must be seriously looked into. I am no expert on this.
Unfortunately, the abuses and wild accusations has not just kept the sensible and rational minds away from this frenzy but by indulging in such practices these people have abused the very cause they claim they are fighting for. Ask the right questions (in a right way) to get the right answers. One resort to abuse when he has nothing substantial to offer. And what does it yield? Take the yesterday’s incidence, me and my friend who tagged me bootlicker, were essentially doing the same thing, questioning media. He was ignored and perhaps blocked too. But Barkha not just heard me out but assured me to do a story on the issue that I raised. End does not justify means. Abuses don’t serve any purpose either but vitiate the very medium we are using. We need solution not empty rants.
