By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Urdu media always claims to be the voice of the Muslim community but at least in Bihar and looking at their coverage of Forbesganj police firing case, it seems Urdu newspapers have become the voice of the state government not unlike English and Hindi media. The apathy and negligence showed by Urdu media in coverage of Forbesganj police firing belie their claims to be voice of the Muslims and proves that they are failing in even simple journalism task of covering stories of importance.
The terrible incident took place on June 3 in Muslim dominated village Bhajanpur under Forbesganj block in Araria district of Bihar. The villagers were protesting against blocking of a road that they have used for a long time, by an upcoming glucose factory when police opened fire upon them killing 4 people including six-month child and five-month pregnant women.
The worst part of the incident was home guard Sunil Kumar Yadav who stomped and kicked still alive Mustafa Ansari while other police officers looked on. The video that captured the horrible scene may bring tears into the eyes of those who have beating hearts. In short, the incident was a worst example of khakhi terrorism against the minority, violation of human rights, women rights and child rights.
Despite these facts, the issue it seems was not important for Urdu media. They did not show interest in highlighting the brutal incident and failure of the state government. They failed to publish pictures of the victims of the incident and also they did not bother to send their reporters to meet the villagers and publish any news gathering the ground-level facts. Even they did not try to know the painful stories of the injured in the incident being treated at PMCH in the state capital despite all the Urdu dailies have their head offices here.
Bihar with about 17% Muslims (2001 Census) is one of the most Muslim populated states in the country. Majority of them depends on Urdu newspapers when it comes to connect with rest of the state. But due to lack of coverage, they might be unaware of the seriousness of Forbesganj incident which has created long-lasting trouble for the natives of the area.
This analsysis of Urdu dailies follows the same pattern adopted by Dilip Mandal in his “analysis” of Hindi dailies on their coverage of Forbesganj firing.
Rashtriya Sahara, largest selling Urdu daily in the country, did not give importance to the incident at all. Leave alone publishing the news on front page, it did not even publish any news about Forbesganj firing in its sixteen-page edition on 4th June—the day after the incident.
In later days, it only published the statements of the opposition parties and some organizations that too on their inside pages. Yes, the news about judicial enquiry announced by Nitish Kumar managed to find space on the front page.
Have a glance at the five big news headlines on front page of Rashtriya Sahara Urdu, Patna addition, from 4th June to 13th.
|
Date |
Banner headline |
2nd headline |
3rd headline |
4th headline |
5th headline |
News about Forbesganj firing |
|
June- 4 |
Hama Jahat talimi traqqi keliye Rs.14.5 crore manzoor |
Nitish model ko pure mulk main apnane ki zaroorat: Naushad Ahmad, Chief of Bihar Minority Commission |
Baba Ramdev ka Satyagraha shuru |
Malegaon dhamaka: NIA ki report tayyar |
Election Commissioners ne jayedad ki tafsil jari ki |
No news |
|
June- 5 |
Ramdev ne hokumat per itemad shikni ka ilzam lagaya |
Dron hamle main Ilyas Kashmiri ki mot |
Maoists ne Gaya main do logon ka ighwa kiya |
Gaya main BDO ki pitayi |
More than half part of the first page dominated with commercial advertisements |
No news |
|
June- 6 |
Intermediate ke imtihan main larkiyun ne bazi mari |
Riyasat main talaba shagrkari mansoobe ka aghaz |
Mere encounter ki sajish thi: Ramdev |
Darbhanga main dawa tajir ka qatl |
Parliament ka hangami ijlas bolayajaye: Advani |
Forbesganj mamla per Governor ko Congress ka memorandum (In brief news box) |
|
June- 7 |
Doctor qatl ki janch CBI se hogi, Forbesganj firing ki adalati janch karayi jayegi: Nitish |
8 IAS Jamui DM samet 8 IAS tabadla |
Markaz aur Delhi sarkar ko Suprem Court ka notice |
Ramdev ko thag kahne per mamla darj (Digvijay ke khilaf) |
Rishwat lete do sarkari mulazmin giriftar |
News about judicial enquary |
|
June- 8 |
Awam Khaja Gharib Nawaz ke dikhaye huye raste per chalen: Manmohan Singh |
Bihar main sarmayakari ka mahol bana hai: Nitish |
Baba Ramdev ke griftari ki tayyari |
Maran barat hoker rahega: Anna |
Forbesganj ki adalti janch hogi: Bihar cabinet (in brief news box) |
|
|
June- 9 |
Azadi ki doosri larayi 16 August se: Anna |
Ramdev ne 11 hazar ki sena banana ka elan kiya |
High Court ne Kanimozhi ki arzi musterd ki |
Tamil nadu main bus main aag lagne se 22 logon ki mot |
Pathrao main CO aur thana incharge zakhmi |
No News |
|
June- 10 |
Beej Bill kisaan mukhalif: Nitish |
Ek July se teachers ahliat test form ki frokht |
Wazir Azam ke pas sirf 2 crore ka fix deposite |
Maqbool Fida Husain ka Inteqal |
Wazir Aala ka China dorah 12 June se |
No News |
|
June-11 |
Tejarati mafad se upper uthe media: Sahara Shri |
Wazir aala ke hathon 312 poloon ka iftitah |
Bihar administrative service ke 14 afsaran ka tabadla |
Chhattisgarh mainbaroodi surang dhamaka, 10 jawan shaheed |
Rana 26/11 mamla se bari |
No News |
|
June-12 |
China ki tarqqi se sekhne ki zaroorat:Nitish |
Ramdev aur Anna se pas-e-parda koi baat nahi |
Begusarai main firqa warana fasad |
Mid-day ke sahafi ka Qatl |
Baba ki bhook hertaal Khatam kerwa ker hi dam loonga: Sri Sri |
No news |
|
June- 13 |
Larkiyun ne Intermedite Arts main bhi percham lahraya |
Baba Ramdev ki bhook hertal Khatam |
Nitish Kumar China kelye rawana |
Lokpal Bill per naummidi ka badal |
Peshawar main yake bad digre 2 dhamaka |
No news |
Qaumi Tanzeem is second leading newspaper in the state. It has a large number of readers in the state. Though the daily gave more space to the news about the incident as compared to Sahara, yet it was not sufficient and not the importance that the story deserved. The way of its coverage showed as it was a usual incident and not a serious one. It too failed to highlight the plight of victims and could not show courage to pen down against the failure of Nitish government to control police brutality against the poor Muslims as well as not giving compensation to the affected people.
It did not consider necessary to publish heart-breaking stories of Bhajanpur and the picture of killed people. Surprisingly, its head office is located at walking distance of PMCH where some victims are under treatment but its reporter reached there after a week that too when a team of Imarat Shariah met them. Even then it published only the black & white pictures on inside page without an accompanying news story about the apathy and difficulty they are facing there.
Have a glance at the five big news headlines on front page of Qaumi Tanzeem, Patna addition, from 4th June to 13th.
|
Date |
Banner headline |
2nd headline |
3rd headline |
4th headline |
5th headline |
News about Forbesganj firing |
|
June-4 |
Ramdev ki ta marg bhookhartal aaj se |
Badunwani ke khilaf pura mulk muttahid: Nitish |
Forbesganj main police firing, 4 hilak |
Jamhuriat se behter koi nizam nahi: Nitish |
Bachon ki talim aur suplementry khorak keliye Rs. 38.44 arab manzoor |
|
|
June 5. |
Ramdev ke Satyagraha per Bhagwa saya |
Bhagwa Chola pahanker Ramdev siyasat ker rahe hain: Shanker Aacharya |
Hokumat aur Baba ne ek doosre per ilzam lagaya |
Americi dron hamle main Ilyas kashmiri halak |
Forbesganj police firing main mahlookin ki tadad 6 |
|
|
June-6 |
Jari rahegi bhook hrtal: Ramdev |
Bachoon main maholyat ke tahaffuz ka jazba peda Karen: Nitish |
Ramdev per karway jamhuri qadron ke manafi: Nitish |
Ramdev RSS ke kanshe per sawar: Ram Vilas Paswan |
Inter Science main ladkiyun ka dabdaba |
No news |
|
June-7 |
(Ramdev per)Police karwai per Supreme Court berhem, Hokoomat ko notice |
Ramdev ke khilaf karwayi ke ilawa koi rasta na tha: Wazir Azam |
Forbesganj ki Adalati janch hogi: Nitish |
NDA ka parliyament ka ijlas bulane ka mutalba |
Forbesganj firing sajish ka natija: Paswan |
|
|
June- 8. |
Kala dhan wapas laya jaye: Nitish |
Uma Bharti ki BJP main wapsi |
Anna ka Rajghat per Anshan aaj se |
Mulk ki hama jahat traqqi keliye musalmanon ko reservation zarori: Mulayam |
Ramdev ke jayedad ki janch hogi |
Forbesganj firing ki adalati janch per Kabina ki mohr (brief news box) |
|
June-9 |
15 August tak qanoon nahi bana to tahreek: Anna |
Ramdev ne mosallah foj bane ka elan kiya |
Ramdev ne sena bani to karwayi hogi |
Ramdev per hamle ke khilaf BJP ka mulkgir ehtejaj |
Badunwani mukhalif qanoon main tabdily zaroori: SC |
No news |
|
June-10 |
Namwer Mosowwir Maqbool Fida Hussain ka inteqal |
Kisan Mukhalif Bij Bill qabile qabool nahi |
Ramdev ke trustoon ka sermaya Rs.1100 crore |
Urs-e-Ajmeri main lakhon ki shirkat |
Ahsanuddin Amanullah Patna high court ke judge moqarrer |
No news |
|
June-11 |
CBSE 10 win ke natayej main grade system ki jeet |
Governor ke sath wazir aala ki taweel goftogoo |
Ek sath 312 poluno ka iftitah |
Forbesganj firing main halak bachhe ko Rs. 3 lakh:Nitish |
Chhattisgarh main baroodi surang ka dhamaka, 10 jawan shaheed |
|
|
June-12 |
Wazir Aala Chin dore per rawana |
Aala talim ke director J P Singh hataye gaye |
Dantewara main Naxal ka ek aur hamla |
Benazir qatl case main Pervez Musharraf ke khilaf warrant |
Forbesganj firing ke khilaf Congress karkunan ka muzahira |
|
|
June-13 |
Wazir Aala 7 roza dore per chin pahunche |
Intermediate Arts main larkiyun ka dabdaba |
Ramdev na ansun tora, aakhri dam tak larne ka ahad |
Lokpal Bill per faisla Parliament ka Ikhtiyar-e-aala: Pernab |
Peshawar main 2 dhamaka, 36 halak |
|
Pinadar is the third prominent Urdu daily published from Bihar. It too took the incident lightly and went on the same way of avoiding to highlight seriousness of the incident and the government’s failure in providing compensation and punishment of police involved. The daily seems more eager to appease the state government.
Have a glance at the five big news headlines on front page of Pinadar, Patna addition, from 4th June to 13th.
|
Date |
Banner headline |
2nd headline |
3rd headline |
4th headline |
5th headline |
News about Forbesganj firing |
|
June-4 |
Badunwani khatam kerne keliye thoos qadam zaroori: Miera Kumar |
Badunwani ke khilaf pura mulk bedar: Nitish |
Mulk ki tariqqi keliye Nitish model zaroori: Naushad Ahmad |
Waqf Board ki zamin per Mukesh Ambani ka Bangla |
Forbesganj main police firing, 4 halak |
|
|
June-5 |
Dhokebaz kon? Hokumat ya baba Ramdev? |
Nitish Kumar ab Chin main bhi Bihar ki traqqi ke imkanat talask karenge |
Dron hamle main Ilyas Kashmiri sathyun ke sath halak |
UPA mulk ke ittehad keliye khatra; Narendra Modi |
Kale dhan ki wapsi per markaz sanjeeda: Dr. Shakeel |
No news |
|
June-6 |
Baba ramdev ka manssoba nakam, Delhi dakhle per pabandi |
Inter Science main Shambhwi aur Inter Commerce main Shashi sare fahrist |
Taraqqiyafta mulk ne maholiyat ko nuqsan pahunchaya: Nitish |
Zardari ke qatl ki sajish, 42 afrad giriftar |
Bab ramdev RSS ke mokhuta: Lalu |
No news |
|
June-7 |
Ramdev mamle main hukoomat ko Supreme Court ka notice |
BJP laqanooniyat phelane ki koshish ker rahi hai: Congress |
Forbesganj firing ki adalati janch hogi |
Baba Ramdev ki tohin Congress ki manhgi paregi: Modi |
Wazir Aala 12 June ko Chin dore per rawana honge |
|
|
June-8 |
Ham nadiyun ko nahi samaj ko jor rahe hain: Nitish |
Uma Bharti BJP main wapas |
Forbesganj firing ki adalati janch per kabina ki moher |
Haj 2011 ke intezamat keliye sub- committee ki tashkil |
Amir-e-Shariat aur Nazim Imarat Shariah se Dr. Shakeel ki molaqat |
|
|
June- 9 |
Bab ramdev ka khoodkash dasta banana ka ilan |
Hum merte dam tak lerte rahenge: Gaddafi |
Forbesganj mamla per aala afsaran ke sath Governor ki meeting |
Pakistan main dron hamle jari, 23 afrad halak |
Qanoon Baba ramdev se nipat lega: Wazir dakhla |
|
|
June-10 |
Mojawwaza Bij Bill kisan mukhalif: Nitish |
Ramdev aur Anna ke khilaf hokoomat ka rawayya sakht |
Maqbool Fida Hussain ka London main inteqal |
Patna main lakhon rupe ka naqli glucose aur gharyan beramd |
Waziristan main security choki per janguzuon ka hamla |
No news |
|
June-11 |
Chin rawangi se qabl Governor se Wazir aala ki molaqat |
Hokoomat sharab ko acchi chiz nahi samajhti: wazir |
Forbesganj firing se insaniyat sharmshar hui: Mahesh Bhatt |
Dehi sarkon ki tamir awwalin terjih: Nitish |
Baba Ramdev hospital main dakhil |
Forbesganj firing main maqtool bacche ko Rs. 3 lakh: Nitish (in brief news box) |
|
June-12 |
Wazir Aala chin keliye rawana |
Muzahiroon per pabandi jamhooriyat ki rooh ke monafi: Sharad Yadav |
America Gaddafi ko iqtedar se hatadega ya unhain qatl kerdega: report |
Lokpal Bill ka mosawwada 30 June tak tayyar hojayega: Moily |
Chhattisgarh main Naxal hamla, 3 jawan shahedd |
No news |
|
June-13 |
Wazir Aala delhi se Chin rawana |
Inter Arts main 88% students kamyab |
Mahesh bhatt ke bayan per nayeb wazir aala charagh pa |
Baba ramdev ki bhook hertal Khatam |
Moqtool doctor ke warison ne moawiza lene se inkar kiya |
No news |
It may surprise many that during 10 days (4-13 June) follwing the incident not one of the three Urdu dailies wrote a single line in their editorial about the incident. It is not because there were no points to highlight regarding this incident. There were lots of points including why firing was ordered on poor villagers? Why no compensation has been announced? Why guilty police officers are not punished? Why Chief Minister or any minster or leader of his party not visited the village? Why injured are not provided with good medical facilities? But editors of Urdu dailies did not go against the Nitish government and they do not want to earn his anger resulting into losing the advertisements for which these dailies are paid heavily.
There was no important issue in Bihar during these 10 days than Forbesganj killing but have a look at the editorials of all three dailies and think how Urdu media just like other language media in the sate appeasing the government at the expense of the community.
Editorial of Sahara: (From 4 to 13 June)
June-4: Badunwani ke khilaf ek aur bigal
June-5: Carbon ikhraj aur taraqqiyafta mamalik
June-6: Yemen main tasadum
June-7: BJP ki majlis-e-amla ka ijlas
June-8: Yeman do rahe per
June-9: Jethmlani ki saf goi
June-10: Wazir aazam ki hidayat (waziron ko jayedad ki tafsil aam kerne keliye)
June-11: Kale dhan ki wapsi keliye ek aur committee ki tashkeel
June-12: Europe Union ka naya formula
June-13: Naxal motassira riyaasatoon keliye taraqqiyati mansooba
Editorial of Qaumi Tanzeem: (From 4 to 13 June)
June-4: Qimatain qaboo se baher ho rahi hain—Duniya ke pasmanda tareen mamalik
June-5: Mukesh Ambani ke imarat per tanazua—Latini America main ek industani karnama
June-6: Baba Ramdev: toti kahan kamond
June-7: Taliban-America aman muzakirat—Arab sorish aur Israel ke andeshe
June-8: Phir Mandir wahin banayenge ka elan—Narendera Modi, Zara sambhal ke
June-9: Israeli qiyadat main inteshar—Yeman main khushi ka mahol
June-10: Quran ki tilawat—Taqwa Quran centre
June-11: Alwida! Maqbool Fida Hussain
June-12: Baba Ramdev: Mustaqbil ke andeshe
June-13: Banjer araziyun ko terjih di jaye
Editorial of Pindar: (From 4 to 13 June)
June-4: Baba Ramdev bhi Bhajpa ke dala
June-5: Bhajpa ke bhare ke ye tattu (Anna and Ramdev)
June-6: Sadhoun ke zariye mulk torne ki koshish
June-7: Baba Ramdev ki ye baghawat thi?
June-8: Firqa warana tashaddud bill aur BJP ki bokhlahat
June-9: Pakistan main Americi dron hamle
June-10: Pahunchi wahin pe khak (Uma ki BJP main wapsi per)
June-11: Mulk ke waqar ke sath khilwar
June-12: Badunwani ke khilaf jung yahan se shoru
June-13: Pak & Afghan talluqat main Islah
Why media is favoring Nitish Kumar?
The answer of this question found in the reply of RTI petition filled by Afroz Alam Sahil that revealed the fact that Nitish Kumar sanctioned a heavy amount for advertisement and increased the rate and ratio of payment during his regime. Therefore, you would find government advertisement covering full or half page frequently that was not seen during earlier government.
Increase of amount for ad is good step but when it is used for pressurizing media to avoid pointing out government’s fault that is being done by the government is really condemnable. I remember an editor of one of the above mentioned three Urdu dailies was removed from his post because he criticized a leader of ruling party. Next day a Muslim leader of JD-U called the owner of the daily and asked to remove the editor from the post or be prepared for losing government ad revenue.
The amount Bihar government spent on ad
2005-06 : Rs. 4, 49 crore
2006-07: Rs. 5.4 crore
2007-08: Rs. 9.65 crore
2008-09: Rs. 25.25 crore
2009-10: Rs. 19.66 crore—(Till February 2010)
Look at the amount spent on ad for the last five years and you will understand as to why media loves Nitish and cautious to point out his faults. It is said that as media plays key role in changing and making atmosphere in favour or against anyone, it helped Nitish Kumar to return to power in 2010 assembly elections through presenting his good works and hiding faults and failure. And Urdu media was among them.
Last year Bihar government (From April to August 2010) spent Rs 28.47 crore on the advertisement to newspapers and television channels. This was revealed in the reply of a RTI petition filed by RTI activist Purander Sawaran.
Here is detail of the amount gained by Urdu dailies from the government for ads
Qaumi Tanzeem——–Rs. 98, 72,810
Rashtriya Sahara—— Rs. 68, 88,915
Farooqui Tanzeem——Rs. 62, 35,314
Pindaar—————– Rs. 44, 11,220
Inqilab-e-Jadeed——–Rs 20, 57,062
Sangam——————Rs. 13, 80,890
Links:
Analysis of Hindi newspapers: http://mohallalive.com/2011/06/13/dilip-mandal-react-on-farbisganj-syndrom-in-bihar-media/
Details of money spent on ads by Bihar government: http://www.bihartimes.in/Newsbihar/2011/May/Newsbihar10May1.html