NewsX, India Today, India TV took aerial survey of Kashmir and found everything ‘peaceful’

For the first time, revealed Aaj Tak, India TV and TV9Bharatvarsh, Independence Day will be observed “dhoom dham se” in the Valley.

Security personnel stand guard during restrictions in Srinagar | PTI

By the time you read this, if you read this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have roused you from your slumber with a rousing speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Delhi, and the Indian flag would have been unfurled at Lal Chowk, Srinagar, in the presence of some high and mighty.

Celebrations, the likes of which you haven’t seen before – “dekhne wale dekhte rah jayenge”, was the description on Aaj Tak, two days before anyone had seen them –would feature young girls dancing their way into our hearts. “This is the first time I will perform in Srinagar,” said one girl in fancy clothes, beaming like a torchlight (India TV).

For the first time, revealed Aaj Tak, India TV and TV9Bharatvarsh, Independence Day will be observed “dhoom dham se” (India TV) in the Valley. Visuals of the organisers and participants during practice sessions Tuesday caught them wreathed in smiles, bathed in sunlight. Security personnel, resplendent in uniforms, were filmed with boots on the ground – perfecting their march, at the parade ground (India TV).

Everyone is happy?

Viewers everywhere will watch the spectacle Thursday. Viewers everywhere but in Kashmir, that is. With the communication clampdown into its eleventh day, ordinary Kashmiris will see nothing – unless of course lines are restored Thursday for them to witness how joyfully their integration with India is being marked.

But then, the 15 August commemoration is not for them. It is for the rest of the country – and anyone around the world who cares to tune in (Pakistan, are you watching?) – just like the television news coverage has been since last week’s revocation of Article 370.

This is embedded news at its best with the media snuggling up to the State and embracing its point of view.

So, when the State says the people of J&K celebrated Eid peacefully and happily Monday, news channels found happy, peaceful people.

Doordarshan News found smiling men and women – “most cooperative people” said the paternal voice-over. Zee Hindustan located an unidentified gentleman at an undisclosed place, who said the Centre was right, “theek hai”. TV9Bharatvarsh said, happily, that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan must have had a ‘black’ Eid because the festival was celebrated with joy in India – cut to Muslims greeting each other joyously, with a child carrying the Indian flag. “These are the true Muslims,” exulted the voice-over.

Four Muslim men in Patna were interviewed: they “saluted” the “brave” PM, called him “Bhai jaan” and said they were happy. The fourth looked forward to setting up his home in the Valley (TV9Bharatvarsh).

News18 India showed Army men celebrating Eid with three young boys “dhoom dham se”. In Jammu, people crowded the masjid amidst tight security and men hugged each other. Republic had men shaking hands with security personnel.

Then there were the video clips of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval sharing food, and a few laughs with Kashmiris, shown across channels to establish that powerful men in Delhi enjoyed bonhomie with the people who were under a debilitating lockdown.

Why, News World India even discovered flowers swaying in Kashmir’s gardens. “Subdued Eid,” said NDTV 24×7, “peaceful”, added India Today.

Claims & counter-claims

How then to explain channels like BBC and Al Jazeera showing protests in the Valley – with what sounded like gunfire in the background – last week?

Well, first, you call it fake news – “doctored videos,” Arnab Goswami termed them Tuesday. “Show us the footage…,” he challenged, “BBC don’t lie, BBC don’t lie…,” he yelled, shaking an admonishing finger at London.

By the way, what do you think of Doordarshan telecasting Republic’s coverage of “fake news”? Odd, or was DD simply outsourcing its job? 

Awake, my India https://t.co/hmMlw9FPi6

— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) August 13, 2019

The government categorically denied BBC and Al Jazeera’s reports even though AltNews confirmed that both videos were authentic. The government fielded Narendra Taneja on BBC Tuesday. Asked about the lockdown, he claimed the “situation was getting back to normal…”. Then he added this clinching argument: “Just watch Indian news channels to see…”. He said the restrictions were to protect the people from the “evil eyes of Pakistan”.

If that didn’t convince you, then wait for the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, to rush in where wiser men would fear to tread and claim there had been ‘deaths’ in the Valley. Or, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra  to call the Centre’s moves ‘unconstitutional’, or P. Chidambaram to say the BJP is playing communal politics, or Mani Shankar Aiyar to speak darkly about dark days ahead – whereupon you call them out as Pakistan’s stooges.

Sample this: “Ex-HM’s communal spin” (Times Now), “Cong toes Pak line” (Republic), “Cong communalises …. On same page as Pakistan” (India Today). And then, slam both Congress and Pakistan: “Pakistan will lose fifth war,” warned Zee News.

Only peace and goodwill

Last, take an aerial survey of the Valley: NewsX, India Today, India TV, and nearly all the other channels did just that in (government?) helicopters. All they – and we – saw were verdant fields, woody hills, everything ‘peaceful’ even in the highly dense areas of Srinagar. “Everything looks quite alright,” observed the NewsX reporter. He added that the people now had to choose between “development, progress… or destruction, nefarious elements”. Some choice.

Zee News showed aerial footage of Kashmir | Screenshot

In the world of Kashmir, according to the Indian media, there’s only peace and goodwill. Yes, there are severe restrictions and additional security personnel have been deployed — all channels reported this – but as WION said trying to explain the clash of narratives between the Indian and the international media – “protests or prayers” – the government took a “big decision” and it was bound to have some “repercussions”.

Only on Tuesday evening was anything untoward reported by Indian media. India Today showed a six-year-old girl lying bandaged in a hospital, “allegedly” hurt in some clashes. Its reporters Shuja ul Haq and Ashutosh asked viewers to “imagine” what it is like to not have any contact with your families since 5 August.

And now for an irony. In democratic India, there’s complete control over information coming out of Kashmir while in Hong Kong — under Chinese rule, albeit with a degree of autonomy – nine weeks of protests have been covered, live, by international media, like BBC, CNN International and Al Jazeera.

CNN International shows Hong Kong protests | Screenshot

The mass protests in Hong Kong, where protesters had taken over the airport, were covered live, each day – Tuesday night the police moved in, there were clashes outside the airport even as we saw travellers arriving at the airport. “Surreal,” exclaimed CNN’s anchor.

No more surreal than the coverage of Kashmir.