On Sunday, one Sakshi was being dragged on the streets of Delhi; and that night, another Sakshi was being bludgeoned to death. Far away in Manipur, destruction rose in spirals of smoke — at least six civilians, seven policemen and 40 ‘terrorists’ died in violence leading up to the weekend.
Which of these stories consumed news television? ‘Delhi Demonic Murder’ of course – India Today. The discourse on television has coarsened to the extent that only the most ‘gruesome’ (Republic TV), ‘Murder most monstrous’ (Times Now) of Sakshi by Sahil, will satisfy the blood-curdling thirst of news channels – and presumably, of their viewers.
Why, this vicious and ferocious crime went one step further than the ‘live’ Atiq shooting by police last month.
Sixteen stab wounds, a head ‘smashed’ by stone, Sakshi’s lifeless body kicked repeatedly were far more captivating than wrestler and Olympic medal winner Sakshi Malik struggling on the ground against the police. The wrestlers are protesting over alleged sexual harassment by Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh.
Only a ‘Foreign attack by Ra Ga’ (India Today) momentarily pressed pause Wednesday morning on the video of the grotesque crime relayed by every news channel in Hindi and English since Monday morning. Thank you, Rahul Gandhi for your “distraction” in the US.
What chance did the ‘unbelievable destruction’ of human life and property that the NDTV 24×7 reporter found in Manipur, stand against CCTV footage of the ‘monster’ killing the teenage girl – a spectacle so inhuman even a stray dog turned away from it?
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Wrestlers’ protests a promising coverage
The violence in Manipur and the wrestlers’ protests in Delhi began on 23 April and 3 May, respectively. In the former, more than 70 people have died so far and 200 injured. But it’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s four-day visit to the state that has seen more TV news coverage than the human tragedy over the last one month. There have been sporadic ground reports by English news channels but little else.
Why? Ask them. Is it that happens in Imphal doesn’t matter in Delhi? Is it deliberate ignorance and indifference towards a remote and small state? Or is it simply not as shocking as Sahil stabbing Sakshi while people walk past?
The wrestlers’ agitation was more promising for news channels: it had Olympic athletes, many of them women, it had a politician as the accused, that too from the BJP, it had a 24×7 protest right in the heart of the capital – and there was an allegation of sexual harassment. ‘Wrestlers vs WFI’ (CNN News 18) had all the makings of a good bout, especially after the Opposition, farmers’ groups and some celebrities jumped in, feet first.
This was the perfect television show, right? And that’s how it started out—channels were all over the wrestlers, interviewed them, filmed them, spent the night out in the shelters with them. And then ignored them, sometimes, for days on end with the odd headline here or there.
In general, the coverage was ‘simpatico’ but when the wrestlers decided to protest outside the new Parliament building during its inauguration on Sunday, channels were literally caught in a bind—to show or not to show. Most of them took the easy way out by blanking out Delhi Police’s brutal removal of the wrestlers from Jantar Mantar and the dismantling of their tents. Instead, the news basked in the splendor of the ‘New sansad new tryst with destiny’ (Times Now).
NDTV 24×7, Times Now, India Today and CNN News 18 did show the wrestlers on the ground being ‘dragged, pinned, detained’ (India Today) but none pointed out the irony of the violent action on a citizens’ group so close to the ‘new temple of democracy’ (India Today).
There’s a waning of interest in the wrestlers’ cause on television: had the athletes immersed their medals in the Ganga, channels may have stayed with their story. As it was, by Wednesday, they were immersed in Rahul Gandhi’s remarks regarding the ‘new Parliament a diversion’ (CNN News 18).
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TV sees ‘Hindu Sakshi’
When it comes to murder most foul, news channels leave nothing to the imagination. They have almost completely dispensed with mosaics to blur any violence – in the Sakshi murder case, Sahil was clearly seen throughout his brutal assault.
In fact, rather than warning viewers that the visuals are disturbing, they urge them to peer even more closely: “Look at the images again, people are moving around…” said an Aaj Tak anchor. “These images will make your heart shudder,” added the TV9 Bharatvarsh anchor – then why show them, sir?
And in case you lost count of the murderous stabs Sahil inflicted on Sakshi, the channels helpfully number them for you. Then they describe the full nature of the attack—it’s an assault on our senses and sensibility.
But they’re not done: No sooner do BJP politicians mention ‘love jihad’ than they see ‘Mohammedan Sahil’ and ‘Hindu Sakshi’ written all over this (India TV). Or they give the floor to the BJP — suddenly Kapil Mishra is everywhere for asking how many Kerala Stories are there in Delhi’s bylanes. ‘BJP alleges love jihad’ (Republic TV) takes over once Sahil is arrested and found to be wearing the sacred thread on his wrist “to hide his religion” said the Times Now Navbharat reporter. Mercifully, by Tuesday, this angle disappears from TV.
Sakshi’s parents, ‘friends’ who knew her for a week or had just met her, Ajay, the long-haired young man who claims to have tried to dissuade Sahil from any action against Sakshi are suddenly thrust before the camera—news channels lap it up with greedy curiosity.
As for the questions, well, you wonder what the reporters want to find out when they ask things like, ‘How many injuries did she (your daughter) sustain?’ ‘Did you ask your daughter if she had someone she liked?’
It is at moments like these that you appreciate TATA IPL 2023 and wish it would continue forever.
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(Edited by Anurag Chaubey)