Sunday, October 26, 2008

Tacit acknowledgement of erroneous ways? I'm not sure

Happy Diwali or Deepavali to all our readers!
Over the last few months the comments from the Reader's editor of Chindu has been a source of mixed messages and at times entertainment for his analysis of the reader's comments about the newspaper. The recent incidents in Orissa and other parts of the country which were given the Chindu coverage apparently did not go well with lots of readers, even loyal ones.
However LiC's response to the questions raised was predictable,
We investigated and authenticated the details. FIRs had been lodged and there were eye-witnesses but the police failed to register a case until The Hindu’s investigative reporting made it a major issue and brought it on the national agenda. Our prominent Page 1 coverage and the meticulous follow-up has had a significant impact and there was greater pressure on the governments to act according to the law of the land and the canons of civilised conduct.

Sure but what about the larger issue of conversion of tribals by the missionaries? Why is your newspaper not investigating that? Perhaps it is because that would not be 'secular'?
The reader's Editor goes on to conclude:
Retaliatory violence is no solution and what has happened in Orissa and Karnataka is a matter of shame. If the forces behind such violence canalise their energies towards eradicating the social and economic causes that make some sections oppressed, the bogey of conversion may not be there.

Before making grand statements, it would behoove the newspaper to stop turning a blind eye towards religious conversion and show the balanced side of journalism by publishing details from the other side as well.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gleeful Sainath Continues To Hallucinate

Isn't this guy the Rural Affairs in charge at Chindu? Why is he wagging his tail so much and delivering unsolicited judgement over US elections?

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/27/stories/2008102755871000.htm

Anonymous said...

Whe the so-called Reader's Editor says the "bogey of conversion"it is clear that he is collusion with his boss in this business. Conversion (carried out in all kinds of manner) is there for all to see and it has more than a religious dimension to it.

What is interesting to note is that while the Muslims are described to be poor, alienated, oppressed, depressed etc. (as pronounced by the great Sachar report and our own chief), strangely the crusaders do not shower their benign grace on the members of the religion of peace!

Anonymous said...

what is this continuing crap about social economic oppression ? the christians do not convert because of these reasons. they convert because their very jealous god told them to go forth and convert everybody. that very jealous god cannot stand anyone else being worshipped.

this continuing crap about social economic stuff does a great disservice to devout christians.

Anonymous said...

"House of sadhvi searched in Jabalpur"

Sensational headline in today's Chindu.

Read further on for an action-packed terror report.

---------------------------
A team of ATS officials arrived in Madhya Pradesh a few days back and conducted raids at several places including Bhopal, Indore, Dewas, Jabalpur and Gwalior, sources said.

The search at the house of the sadhvi yielded nothing objectionable.

The house belongs to one Sanjeev Gupta who also owns a book shop near the residence, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Manish Kapooria and Gorakhpur Police Station incharge D.K. Dixit told reporters.

Police opened the house of the sadhvi in the presence of Mr. Gupta.

A few religious books and domestic goods were found.
-------------------------

Chindu could have as well made the headline thus: Search of sadhvi's house turned a damp squib.

But, it could not, given the glorious secular standards it is burdened with.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/27/stories/2008102759971200.htm

Anonymous said...

these words in comrade n ram's reply caught my eye:

Cannons of civilized conduct

Commies are big on using high-sounding words. But for an ideologue of a murderous ideolgy like communism to talk about civilized conduct is like a lady of the night lecturing on family values.

Anonymous said...

Chidu declares:

"China shows Chennai the way to cut construction cost"

A. Srivathsan and Li Xinran

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/29/stories/2008102959520400.htm

It is also interesting to note the names of the reporters.