New Delhi: From King Charles’s coronation to the violence in Manipur, the Urdu press reported on a number of issues this week. But it was the row over the film The Kerala Story and the Karnataka assembly polls that got the most prominent coverage.
Released on 5 May, The Kerala Story depicts the story of three women from the state who allegedly converted to Islam and left home to join ISIS. The film, which was directed by Sudipto Sen and stars Adah Sharma among others, has been at the centre of a massive political row, with critics like Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan even calling it a “propaganda story”.
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest also got prominent coverage.
ThePrint brings you a roundup of all the news that made headlines in all three prominent Urdu newspapers — Roznama Rashtriya Sahara, Inquilab, and Siasat — this week.
The Kerala Story and Manipur violence
The controversy over The Kerala Story had the Urdu newspapers buzzing.
On 6 May, Siasat stated in an editorial that after Kashmir Files, it’s this movie that is provoking people and fueling communal hatred in the country. Through the movie, an attempt is being made to rake up the so-called ‘love jihad’ — a topic the Hindu Right frequently uses to describe “attempts” made by Muslim men to marry and convert Hindu women, it said.
And yet, repeated court rulings have denied the existence of such a concept because there’s no evidence for it, the editorial further said.
Meanwhile, an editorial in Sahara stated that there’s communal harmony and peace between Hindus, Muslims and Christians in the rapidly developing Kerala. But now, that situation is being threatened by such baseless claims, it said, adding that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was right in banning the movie.
All three newspapers also prominently covered the violence in Manipur. Newspapers reported that 23,000 people in the violence-affected areas had been taken to safety and that the Supreme Court was hearing non-governmental organisation Manipur Tribal Forum’s Public Interest Litigation demanding a probe by a Special Investigation Team.
Imran Khan’s arrest
All three Urdu newspapers gave prominent space to the arrest of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on 10 May.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Khan was arrested on corruption charges Tuesday in connection with what is known as the Toshakhana case.
Khan has been accused of not disclosing information on gifts presented to the state depository and even illegally selling them.
All three Urdu newspapers reported not only Khan’s arrest but also the violence that followed. At least eight people have been killed in the clashes between Khan’s supporters and Pakistan’s security forces.
On 12 May, all three Urdu newspapers reported Pakistan Supreme Court’s ruling on the arrest. According to the report, a three-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Supreme Court called Imran Khan’s arrest illegal and directed the National Accountability Bureau to release him immediately.
Karnataka elections
From Modi’s roadshows to Congress’s rallies, all three newspapers covered the last day of campaigning for the Karnataka assembly elections.
On 9 May, Siasat commented that “Rahul Priyanka’s hard work was successful, and Modi-Shah’s pair could not flame the communal embers” in the state. According to its report, the BJP government has seen no benefit of canceling 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in the state. The powerful Lingayats have thrown their weight behind the Congress, the report said.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to jump into election campaigning himself, pre-election surveys show even he may not be able to save the sinking BJP ship, the report said.
The people of Karnataka are very angry with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s government, which could help the Congress win, the report further said, adding that the BJP would come second and JD(S) would be at number three.
In its editorial on 9 May, Inquilab wrote that political parties are increasingly spending large amounts of money on campaigning. The day political parties and candidates realise voters are not influenced by such factors, the practice of spending extravagantly on elections will end, the editorial said.
For this, the Election Commission too can play an important role in educating the people, the editorial said. But the events of the last few years have meant that people are getting more and more disappointed with the election watchdog, it said.
Newspapers also reported that the Election Commission of India had sent a notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asking him to clarify and rectify the party’s social media post on the “Karnataka sovereignty” remark, which was attributed to senior party leader Sonia Gandhi. The Congress later deleted the tweet and clarified that Sonia had never used the word “sovereignty” in her speech while campaigning in Karnataka.
On 11 May, all three newspapers reported 65.69 per cent voter turnout for Karnataka’s assembly polls.
World news
Urdu newspapers also gave prominent coverage to the coronation of King Charles III and Queen consort Camilla in Britain’s Westminster Abbey.
In an editorial on May 9, Sahara reported that India’s act of buying more oil, weapons, and coal from Russia means that Moscow has accumulated Indian rupees equal to $40 billion. This comes at a time when India’s rupee rate is falling.
This explains why Russia is reluctant to deal in rupees, the editorial said, adding that if Moscow refuses to trade any further in rupees, it will be difficult for India to buy oil and coal, affecting the economy.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
Also Read: ‘Hijab, halal over corruption, unemployment’: Urdu press says people angry with Karnataka govt