Is it just me or is this election season very subdued?
Some people inform me that the battle is now in TV studios and not on the streets.
Others say that people are just resigned to their fate.
A political commentator tweets that election and political analysis makes no sense any more when one ideology/party/alliance is in such a dominant mode that all commentary is pointless.
Since I cannot watch the nonsense that passes for Indian “news” television, this essentially means that the election is passing me by. The one newspaper I do buy – a physical actual literal (to use the nonsensical twisting of language common amongst young trendy speakers) paper newspaper (tautology of a sort since online newspapers are also newspapers) – is not very strong on local election news either. Tucked away in some inside page: the King Emperor visited the other half of the state and swore to keep “fighting” corruption.
The front page had other news like Arvind Kejriwal’s trial and the horrific earthquake in Taiwan. Nothing on electoral bonds in the whole edition.
Which gives one some clue on this lacklustre election season.
I don’t mean that political parties don’t have enough money: the BJP has much more than it needs, that’s for sure.
Rather, the big story this election is the Supreme Court decision banning electoral bonds and that is why the media is so silent on them. Yes, newspapers like The Hindu and the Telegraph have not given up. Occasional articles and investigations in other newspapers cover the changing of textbooks to suit the RSS narrative, or the further sly insertions of religion into everyday laws.
For the actual meat and potatoes, it is only the digital media that can be relied upon. The Reporters Collective has two ongoing firebrand investigations: the electoral bonds and the handing over of sainik schools to the RSS and BJP.
https://www.reporters-collective.in/trc/centre-hands-sainik-schools-to-sangh-parivar-bjp-politicians
So let’s assume for now that all the excuses non-media people make for these cowardly media outlets are true: o, they are scared of government action, o, their owners are scared of government action and so on. Why people make these dumb@$$ excuses are beyond me. But I suppose as a media outlet, you want a loyal, sympathetic audience which buys into your third-grade pretence of journalism. Forgive me for repeating this, but the whole idea of journalism is to question, and put governments in spot. Now to bow down low every time an emperor looks your way. Or worse, take a selfie with the emperor!
Let’s segue out of these bonds, elections, horse-trading, illegal action against opposition parties, flouting of Election Commission norms and look at another burning issue facing us. Literally (to use another word much loved by trendy with-it young people).
The climate.
Heatwaves across India. No let up until June, according to both the meteorological department and private players. The monsoon itself, well, who knows. Increasing deforestation and rampant construction activities are both taking their toll. Union ministers speak garbled nonsense on India’s vehicles going all-electric even while they play more expressways through forests. The Prime Minister’s claims of doing more for the environment at international fora stand up to no internal scrutiny.
Instead, we see more devastation. To be fair, the Prime Minister has stated that we have too many rights and is thus working to reduce them. As the article linked below demonstrates.
https://frontline.thehindu.com/environment/the-tribal-affairs-ministry-is-surrendering-power-to-the-moefcc/article68024134.ece
Shady stuff and no visible shade.
Enjoy!
Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.