ASIANET IS THE FIRST ACCUSED

Today I eagerly awaited my news agent because I wanted to read the pungent critique of the media in Kerala by the gifted story writer Mr. Zachariah, captioned "Pathrapravarthakaro aaracharmaaro?" (Journalists or executioners?) published in the Kalakaumudi weekly (issue # 1757 May 10, 2009), which is already in the air, thanks to the Kairli/People TV. There was channel discussion based on this critique yesterday night in People TV in which noted journalist M.G. Radhakrishnan and social critique Mr. Bhasurendra Babu participated. My hearty congratulations to Mr. Zachariah and the Kalakaumudi. But all these men including Mr. Zachariah missed one point. In the case of demonization of Ms. Soofiya Ma'dani the TV channel Asianet News is the first accused because it presented as its "exclusive story" at first the so-called "statement of a witness" in the infamous Kalamasseri bus arson case. The other media joined bandwagon of nasty, immoral and malignant campaign against Ms. Soofiya Ma'dani.
The Asianet had had a hidden agenda of giving a mileage to RSS in their anti-Muslim hatred campaign because some in higher echelons of the Asianet and a few in its lower ranks are either RSS men or have connections with RSS. This pro-RSS stance of the Asianet is evident in the infamous Santhosh Madhavan case also. On the very day the Kerala Police raided the "aashram" of the fake "samnyasi" Mr. Santhosh Madhavan at Eranakulam the Asianet (at that time it was not purchased by the media giant Mr. Rupert Murdoch) came up with an interview with the culprit giving him a chance to tell the viewers that the police raid was due to a mistaken identity. The footage of interview was six minutes long in the prime time news at 6.30 p.m. Mr. Santhosh Madhavan told the world that he was mistaken for another Santhosh Madhavan who was involved in the illegal arms deal and who was in the lookout of the Interpol. The Asianet in the very same news telecast showed weeping parents of Santhosh Madhavan who were lamenting the harassment by the police of their innocent son. This was to create sympathy in the minds of the viewers towards Santhosh Madhavan because he was a protégé of RSS. The interview with Santhosh Madhavan exposes the RSS connection of the Asianet. And same was the motive behind the demonisation of Ms. Soofiya Ma'dani. The story writer Mr. Zachariah who wrote the excellent critique of media and those who participated in the discussion based on that critique missed this point.