By Ranjona Banerji
Earlier this week, when I tried to look for reports on what exactly was happening in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, the only coverage I could find was on local websites and social media. The mainstream media was typically silent. After all, Muslims being de-housed and moved in a BJP-run state, who’s going to cover it, right? We all know that’s how low we’ve fallen.
But someone brave took the case – of alleged encroachment on railway land – to the Supreme Court and suddenly the mainstream media is all over it.
The case is complicated. It affects over 50,000 people, living in the area since Independence. Some of the residents claim to have bought land in auction. The Railways claimed encroachment and the Uttarakhand High Court ordered clearing of all human habitation in one week. Most of these people are Muslim and today’s India is now used to the Yogi Adityanath way of governance – bring out the bulldozers and bring down Muslim homes.
The Supreme Court – unlike several other recent judgments – has looked at the human angle and stayed forced evacuations.
https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-stays-uttarakhand-hc-direction-for-haldwani-evictions-says-50000-people-cant-be-uprooted-in-7-days-218150
There is an additional problem here which affects all of Uttarakhand. Land ownership laws are strange. The courts are happy to ignore all evidence of land sales post-Independence and depend on British colonial maps which are over 100 years old. This has resulted in gate posts being chipped down by one inch because of High Court orders. Okay, that’s a free story for someone!
The problem of course is that we will move on. The Indian media does not appreciate the idea of staying power and returning to ongoing stories. And television only plays to the gallery. In the current scenario, that apparently means to increase hatred against Muslims.
For instance, on Twitter, once again right-wing BJP handles target Muhammed Zubair of Alt News for amplifying the protests in Haldwani. And these handles will not stop because they have the go-ahead from forces above to continue with the spread of hatred.
Do you want me to repeat myself? That the media needs to stick to stories like this because these are human interest stories at the intersection of law, morality, livelihood and public interest? Naah, I get it. Boring. Let’s get back to Modi ji’s latest fun and games.
Although two days without social media and I am shocked to find that Modi ji does not appear to have inaugurated anything in my absence. Nor stopped for any ambulances. What is going on?
Here’s one story which will not make Modiji happy:
https://www.newsclick.in/Uttrakhand-Families-Evacuated-Houses-Keep-Developing-Cracks-Joshimath
The imminent collapse of the Uttarakhand town of Joshimath is a clear indictment of “development” minus sense and accountability. Independent news sites, local activists, environmentalists and geologists have been ignored. The other day, Nitin Gadkari made even more promises about the “development” of the mountains to help tourists. Obviously, no one in the media will question him about the collapse of Joshimath thanks to “development”. I do not expect anyone to question Modi ji.
The less we discuss issues that matter, the more these matters will press upon us. Wanton destruction of homes because of social hatred and greed are not that different from attacks on natural resources for greed in the name of “development”. What we ought to know is that the reasoning of the past no longer applies. But the same media that will highlight some renewable energy promise made by the government will wilfully ignore the consequences of bad government when it comes to ecology, the environment and climate change.
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At the end, how does one ignore this incident? A real media treat!
https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/man-accused-of-peeing-on-air-india-co-passenger-identified-as-shekhar-mishra-589464.html
Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal