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SOMEONE SAYS & NATION PAYS

 

SOMEONE SAYS & NATION PAYS

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

11/VI/2022

 

What state have we reached in this country? Riots, Arson, stone pelting, massive Police deployment, Sec144 being slapped, what the hell! I didn’t even know this was the consequence of what was said by someone about somebody and on someone’s debate. Sentiments were hurt, which should have been avoided. Now what?

 

“Corrective action” by suspending someone from some party was done. Imagine the consequences of participating in a debate. One utterance and a counter utterance led to protests across India at this massive scale. Suspension means nothing, once things subside, this person will return in a different avatar.

 

My simple point is that TV debates need to be totally banned. “Na nau man tel hoga, na radha nachegi”, is a famous saying. News yes, views yes, but debates, an absolutely NO. It is crystal clear which channel is “supporting” whom. It is also absolutely clear on whose side is the ‘conductor’ of the debate. In the garb of ‘false freedom of speech’, anchors think they can go to any extent. What also is disliked by many is their tone & tenor of asking questions.

 

I read a quote somewhere, that “Truth always exist; only lies are invented”. That is what we see being ‘blatantly generated’ on all news debates. The most ‘hot headed’ are female anchors running interrogation centres, on both English & Hindi news channels. They should rather debate with the anchor of the ‘nation wants to know’ instead.

 

Wilful provocation, needling, goading, aggravation and inciting is done by anchors deliberately. It shows. ‘Speakers’ who can twist any argument on its head are brought to these debates. They don’t care about the rules of debating. Woof! Woof! Woof! Out shouting is ‘encouraged’ by the anchor. Good that they are on a virtual mode, otherwise a few noses would bleed.

 

‘I am right, rest all are wrong’, then where is the debate? My way or the highway is the style of conduct. If you tend to agree to the anchor, you get a patient hearing. One sentence said against the ‘line to be towed’, faders are lowered, or that person is not allowed to speak. Result is noise.

 

A time comes in every debate when control is lost. Once that thin line is crossed, it is free for all. Words once fired reach so many ears. Anchors of course are always ‘holier than thou’. Then things backfire on ‘Cesar’s wife’. Therefore, such anchors also need to be under ‘scanner of investigation’ for airing such content.

 

If one does the root cause analysis of what is happening in the country today, politicians will blame each other. No one has the guts or the gumption to face things straight.

 

Enough nonsense has been tolerated from this ‘fourth pillar of democracy’. This medium spreads things like wild fire on purpose. Instead of dousing it, it adds fuel. One spark and then we wait for a Lathi charge, Hawai firing & tear gas to deal with the mobs. “Kare kaun, bhare kaun”.

 

If there is an exchange of ideas in a debate, it is understandable. If we agree to disagree is also fathomable. Invariably all debates turn into a ‘Machhi Market’.

 

Politicians know very well that they can use ‘this’ platform to further such agendas, but ‘who will bell the cat’. How ‘dare’ channels take pangas with the rulers. It is a different issue, if the ruling dispensation changes, the media is the first one to ‘shed their skin’. They know which side of the toast to lick. Rather what all they lick should not be discussed here.

 

Media houses have their “sources” everywhere is well known. Trends which have to be set, tweets that have to be selectively made viral are pre-decided through a network. Then those four or five faces are called for a debate on every channel. What impression these media houses are leaving on today’s generation, needs to be questioned.

 

‘Current affairs’ is a favourite topic of mine. I guide children preparing for competitive exams. If one had to suggest a news channel, there wasn’t one, except DD and I used to recommend the same, which was boring at one point of time. That is the impression these ‘noise makers’ make.

 

Our nation has very firm roots and all of us can live in peace without these ‘news channels’. If TRP is the only thing that matters, then God alone can save this country. Feel sad that such a situation occurred and so many people had to be arrested to make a scapegoat for an issue which started during a news debate. I wish certain words wouldn’t have been spoken.

 

Will the government take action against conductors of such low-quality debates for this country’s sake? I wonder!!!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© NOEL ELLIS

 

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