In this week’s News Ka Juice, Barkha Dutt looks at the murder of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Uttar Pradesh and the rhetoric of the Yogi Adityanath government.
When will the media stop lying about cow terrorism?
When will journalists stop using words like gau rakshak and cow vigilantes?
These are euphemisms that give respectability – and justification – to murderous, Muslim-hating mobs…
This is the language of cowardice.
———–
Look at the killing of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh…
A chilling assassination by a frenzied crowd…
A crowd so inhumane that it then stops to take photographs of the fallen officer.
The media says these were “clashes” after reports that bovine carcasses were found in the nearby fields.
Once again, the language creates equivalence…
The word ‘clashes’ suggests that Subodh may have been as much to blame for his own death… as his killers…
This is also the language of cowardice.
———–
A police officer was shot in the head for trying to keep the peace.
These thugs killed a man in uniform, and they have the gall to call themselves nationalists?
Yes, a civilian, Sumit, was killed too as mob violence erupted.
But when a mob is setting police vehicles on fire…
When men in the crowd have pistols…
When the crowd is assaulting a police outpost…
The police has to do its job.
Inspector Subodh Kant Singh is a martyr…
Who was killed – not in clashes, dear media –
But in the line of duty.
So, let’s stop using the language of cowardice
——————
Now, about the chief minister…
Yogi Adityanath.
Routinely glorified as the BJP’s star election campaigner.
Now the same media wants the know if Adityanath will act to protect his police force?
Really? Are you serious?
This is the same chief minister who has worn his hatred for Muslims on his sleeve.
On the election trail he said, “You have Ali…we have Bajrang Bali…”
In 2015, when Mohammad Akhlaq was murdered over beef rumours,
Adityanath wanted – not his killers – but his family to be punished.
A Hindutva outfit floated by him had offered guns to Hindus who were being harassed.
At that time, we, in the media, called him fringe.
Now he is chief minister.
What adjective will we use now?
Or will we continue with the language of cowardice?
——————-
It is no coincidence that Inspector Subodh was also an investigating officer in the Akhlaq lynching.
His sister thinks that’s why he was murdered.
Now that lynch mobs have taken their hatred beyond Muslim cattle traders…
And targeted a police officer…
Will we at least now have the courage to say…
the life of a human being is more precious than the life of a cow?
And there is nothing holy or sacred about murder…
Killing in the name of beef politics is barbaric.
No ifs, no buts.
Or will we continue to speak in the language of cowardice?
She says killing in the name of cow is barbaric but slaughtering and eating , drinking it’s blood in public is ok? Pure Left hand
writer. Cattle smuggling is rampant in India since ages . She very selective in reporting. No journalism ethics?.
Will she reveal the role of NDTV during 26/11 and Kargil war.? National security compromised ?
Should this not read “Indian media isn’t being truthful either”…..about the corruption of the relics of the dynasty or the prostrate-at-their-feet nature of most the “senior” journalists in the media
Normally we need journalists to simplify and explain the world to us, cut the clutter, but not with Yogiji. Even a small child would understand what he stands for, what his message is. .
Issue is may be this police officer( u mentioned akhlaq. I know u flesh which is most cruelly butchered) like u was hand in glove for shedding innocent bloods to safeguard a headcutting, paedo, lunatic cult. remember Sanjiv Bhatt. the MF shole like u .
People of UP deserve a leader like Yogi Adityanath.. We get what we deserve.. Now don’t crib, enjoy your life under the rule of Yogi..
fully agree with Sajiv Mukherjee
Fool of a journalist, who looks for politics in every incident and murder.
Aren’t you too scared to admit that Islamic terrorism is a serious threat to the integrity of the nation?? Which cannot be & shouldn’t be resolved through peaceful dialogue. The only remedy being extermination of such jihadi elements. Whom you so eloquently describe as rightful freedom struggle separate state of J&K? Perhaps you should re-read the Indian history again. We Hindus never invited these minority Islamic community to visit our country for tourism to plunder, ravage, commit genocide & forcefully convert Hindus into Muslims for 17 centuries. If today the Hindu right wing people are doing any wrong, its because of their exasperation caused by the right wing Islamists & the pseudo-seculars like you. I’m not writing all these to justify cow vigilantism, because its not correct. However, don’t expect the Hindus to be liberal & secular to tolerate all the tantrums of the hardline jihadis. If fire has to be fought with fire then we are ready to do so. We simply refrain the adopt the attitude of compromise living. Because journalists like you will never write against the forced eviction & genocide committed towards the Kashmiri Pandits & claim for their rightful return to Kashmir valley. You people will also not write against the continuous illegal immigration of Bangladeshis & Rohingyas in our country & demand for their rightful eviction. Instead you people will protest & raise your pens justifying their right of citizenship in India. What you try to project that India is a tolerant country, but please don’t forget tolerance too has its limit. Unfortunately pseudo-seculars like you have crossed that limit. If true tolerance is order of the day then equally voice your concern against the armed jihadis within our country. Remember one thing every ‘Cause’ has its ‘Causality’. If you subject cow vigilantism is the ‘Cause’ of concern then subversion of the Hindus for over 17 centuries is its ‘Causality’. If ‘Ram Mandir’ is the ‘Cause’ of concern then plundering & ravaging of 1000s of Hindu shrines, genocide, forced conversion by the Islamic rulers is the ‘Causality’.
Well said. But she is deaf; loves to live in her echo chamber while accusing others of doing so. While she looks desperate, unfortunately she survives because she finds company in Sardesai, Razdan etc.
Great point. Terrorism has no “religion”, but Hindu extremism is greatest threat is the message peddled by Burkha Dutta.
Cows and their progeny should not be treated as “stray” animals, meaning, left to roam around foodless having to fend for themselves. That will be an insult to the animal that is looked upon fondly by a large section of our society. Their average life span is 20 years, and useful life is perhaps half of that. Their reproduction too cannot be discouraged, because society needs younger cows and buffalos to fulfill the society’s milk needs.
So they keep getting born, and a large number of them continues to be offered “retirement benefits” for a number of years till they perish naturally. The point is, who takes care of them in their second phase of life? They should be kept in confined premises, or “Gaushala” so they do not enter poor villagers’ fields and damage their crops. Or roam around freely on roads and highways and create traffic problem.
At some point citizens will have to take a dispassionate view of their existence. The Hindu temple trusts, which are sloshing with money, should take responsibility for the safe upkeep of this animal which is sacred to their religion. Hindutva organizations like the RSS too should bear part of the burden. The BJP, which clearly espouses gau-raksha and which is the richest political party should bear part of the costs. Among themselves, the Hindu temples and organizations should take COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY for project gau-raksha.
A secular government which has constrained funds should not be expected to pay for it. Nor the poor owners of these animals be expected to bear the cost of their upkeep post their productive life. Or, each such owner should be paid a reasonable amount per month by the responsible group for feeding the animal. The best would be that they should all be consigned to enclosed premises of gaushalas so there is no danger of them destroying any crops or causing traffic problems.
If a large network of gaushalas is created, it will also generate large employment for unskilled section of our workforce. Also for vehicle drivers, recordkeeping clerks etc.