IE rehashes old propaganda material from TOI & Midday against BSY

If you have nothing bad to publish what do you do? Its easy when it comes to Indian Media. Just use the old propaganda material used by others. IE’s report Astrologer Bhanu, BSY’s mystic mentor published on sunday falls in this category. They just reused the old reports published by Midday in report Black magic CM published on 2011-02-01 and Times of India report To ward off evil, BSY to do yoga in the buff? published on Feb 1, 2011

Media Watch had earlier written on this Outrageous Article in Midday and Propaganda war against BSY continues–now TOI takes lead

Its the same old Bhanu Prakash Sharma, his same old claims. Its amazing a National news papaer can publish headlines just based on claims from a quack!

IE quotes Congress leader Siddaramaiah

“But you don’t run a government this way. As Chief Minister, he should run the government within the framework of the Constitution and the Constitution says the CM should have a scientific approach. All this is foolish. I don’t believe in these things,”

Amusing that IE found it appropriate to seek Congress leader Siddaramaiahs opinion but it seems a clarification from the man who was at centre of news – BSY was not sought!

Guess this may be IE’s way of saying Happy Birthday BSY…..

Shocking that Midday carried screenshots of JNU Scandal

Media Watch is shocked that Midday has carried screenshot of JNU Sex Scandal where a girl was videographed with her consent or knowledge.

Miday claims to be largest selling tabloid in India. Are these pictures we would expect our young kids to be exposed to? If intention of Midday is to generate money from such screenshots, they should consider entering pornography business

Media Watch is shocked!

Media sensationalizing a trivial matter

This entry is pertaining to news item 'They closed my account as I am a Muslim'  which appeared in NDTV, IBN and MidDay.

The headline of the news gives an impression that Syndicate Bank closed the account of one Khalid Ali Abbasi was closed because he was a muslim. NDTV reports

He went to find out why his ATM card was not working. He came back insulted and abused. His fault? He was a Muslim. Khalid Ali Abbasi, an 18-year-old Political Science student of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, had gone to Syndicate Bank's Yamuna Vihar branch on January 22 to inquire why his ATM card was not working.

It is really difficult to imagine that a bank would close an account because of someones religious affiliations! Moreover, a Bank Manager cannot unilaterally close an account in violation to banking guidelines! If you read further down the actual cause become more clear.

Khalid Ali Abbasi asked the bank manager why his ATM card was not working, he was told it takes 24 hours for the card to get activated. Dissatisfied with reply, He started throwing tantrums. He said he was not keen on opening an account with Syndicate Bank in the first place and then he threw his passbook on Bank Managers table and told him to close his account, saying he was not interested in banking with Syndicate Bank 

The above sequence of event looks more likely and believable.

NDTV and MidDay should be more cautions in choosing their headlines. Sensationalizing sensitive issues can have disastrous effect on society 

IBN further sensationalizes the issues by linking it with an earlier report by them where they had alleged that muslims find it difficult to get accommodation. IBN says 

an investigation carried out by media website Cobrapost revealed that Muslims in Indian metro cities were finding it difficult to get accommodation.

It is shocking how IBN is trying to blow a minor incident out of proportion, This controversy about difficult  in getting accommodations is not new.This was first raised by Shabana Azmi in 2008 when in an interview she claimed that she and her husband Javed Akhtar could not buy a flat in Indian city of Mumbai due to religious discrimination. In the same interview, She had even claimed that

Indian democracy unfair to Muslims

But according to some in film fraternity, she owns not 1 not 2 but four flats in Juhu, and a house in Khandala. The fact remains, there are certain Parsi societies that do not allow non-Parsis. In Bandra, there are many societies that do not allow non-Christians. There are some who do not allow Hindus who eat non-vegetarian food. Ask any bachelor who have lived in Mumbai he will narrate the same story irrespective of his caste, color or creed. This doesn’t mean secularism and democracy of our country is in danger

Screenshot

Outrageous Article in Midday

This entry to Media watch pertains to extremely distasteful reporting in Midday. We can understand Middays zest to condemn beliefs of BSY but it donot give them the right to misrepresent and insult Hindu beliefs.

Midday claims that Bhanuprakash Sharma, the CM's family priest has advised him as

"His zodiac sign is Scorpio. Rahu will enter this sign shortly, which could mean that his enemies might harm him. Such dasha brings insult and shame. To overcome this, naked surya namaskara is performed,"

The fact is Bhanuprakash Sharma or Veda Brahma Bhanu Prakash Sharma guruji (as he calls himself) is an self proclaimed  astrologer who claim to perform rituals and ceremonies to ensure better luck for their clients. He also claim that he had earlier advised JD (S) leaders and now guides BJP leaders including chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. Leaders like G Vijaya and Ambarish take his advice before making decisions. For the looks of it and simple google search it seems that Bhanuprakash Sharma is a fake out to get some cheap publicity!

Then Midday goes on to claim that

Yeddyurappa had visited Bhadrakaali temple in Kerala to perform the Shatrusamhara ritual, which involves sacrificing a donkey to subdue one's enemies.

The fact is Shatrusamhara pooja is a very common pooja which is conducted in almost every temple in kerala and it definitely donot involve sacrifice of donkeys!

Media Watch sincerely hope this article was written as a satire. Even if it was written as a satire such misrepresentation of facts insults Hindu beliefs and is not acceptable. Lastly drawing nude photo of CM of a state elected by popular mandate is extremely distasteful.

Media Watch strongly demand that Midday withdraw this article and issue an apology.

Details of Mediawatch conversation with Abhijit Majumder; Editor of MidDay

@i_panchajanya: @abhijitmajumder Sir We strongly protest this extremely distasteful reporting by Midday http://goo.gl/8W1h4 request its withdrawal & Apology

@abhijitmajumder: @keshda @i_panchajanya We've done the story through confirmed sources, but I'll still look into it

@i_panchajanya: @abhijitmajumder I am a keralite I can assure you no donkey is ever killed for shatru samara pooka @keshda

@abhijitmajumder: @keshda @i_panchajanya There's always scope of error on our part, but the reporter wrote what he was told. We don't have agenda in this

@i_panchajanya: @abhijitmajumder thanks sir for taking time to clarify Can you please atleast retract shatrusamhara part. Its very offensive @keshda

@abhijitmajumder: @i_panchajanya @keshda We are double-checking on the shatrusamhara bit. If there's a mistake, we'll certainly carry a clarification

@i_panchajanya: @abhijitmajumder Sir as we await your decision, we are extremely grateful you took time to give repy. Wish all editors were as responsive

@i_panchajanya: @keshda agree @abhijitmajumder thanks we await ur feedback. Can I put our conversation on blog. It will be a good guidance for others

@abhijitmajumder: @i_panchajanya Sure, you can @keshda

Media Watch thanks Mr. Abhijit Majumder; Editor of MidDay for being responsve to our requests. We wish all editors of our media houses is like him.