“Who is responsible for tarnishing the image of my son and my family? How will my son now go to college along with his classmates?” elderly Neyazuddin asked mediapersons at a press conference in Jaipur on 27 March 2014.
Neyazuddin’s son Merajuddin was detained on 22 March 2014 from his rented room in Jaipur by Special Cell of Delhi Police for questioning in connection with an alleged terror conspiracy case. Merajuddin, an engineering student of a prestigious Jaipur institute, was let off along with two other youths detained in the same case by late evening the same day for lack of proof – but between his detention and release the media had done a great damage to them.
Soon after the police told media about the detention of Merajuddin and other youths, almost all news channels started calling the arrested youths as terrorists ignoring all professional ethics and laws of the country which see every accused as innocent until he is found guilty by the court. What media did was not new.
For last 10 years or so, media of our country has been presenting police announcement about a detention or arrest in a terror case as if it is conviction announced by court. Most often, a section of media itself assumes the role of judge, starts trial and declares verdict within minutes and hours. Despite the fact that several people arrested in terror cases have been acquitted by competent courts in the past, whenever someone is detained or arrested in a real or fabricated terror case media declares him terrorist.
Media can say that it does so on the basis of what the police tell them. But it is a lame excuse. Presenting exactly what the police say without raising any question could be the job of a stenographer, not journalist. Media can become spokesperson of police or any government wing only at the risk of its own credibility and image.
Police have also played a role in destroying the image and career of several youths. It is beyond comprehension why police rush to media first hours and sometimes minutes after detention, disclose all the details about the detained person – his name, family, community and everything. They do so despite knowing fully that the person they have picked could be acquitted by court if they could not prove charges against him. Their hurriedness in disclosing the details of the detained person shows they are more interested in tarnishing the image of the person and his community and claiming rewards from the government than anything else.
Media generally publishes and broadcasts details of the arrested person – most of whom turn out false and concocted once the court proceeding starts with the case – quoting unknown sources in the police and agencies.
The nexus of police and press have spoiled life of several innocent persons in last 10 years. The Press Council of India should not remain a silent spectator when media is destroying the image and career of arrested persons who are innocent in the eyes of law until they are proven guilty. The Council should issue strong guidelines to media for reporting terror-related issues. Action should be taken if those guidelines are overlooked.
Source: indiatomorrow.net
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