Media War against Sikhs – Indian media’s falsehood exposed once again
By Parmjit Singh
Published: January 30, 2012
An excerpt from a News report (as accessed on 30/01/2012 @ 22:48 IST)
Amritsar, Punjab (January 30, 2012): Indian media was reporting since last two months that Pro-Khalistan Sikh leaders, allegedly hiding somewhere in Pakistan, were planning to trigger blasts to halt election process in Punjab. This falsehood was exposed as nothing of the sort happened in Punjab today, rather there are reports of some local clashes between supporters of “mainstream” political parties. These “mainstream” political parties indulged in distribution of cash, liquor, poppy husk, opium and other intoxicants to lure voters.
Media was reporting that there were firm inputs available with Intelligence agencies of India that Sikh militants hiding in Pakistan with support of Pakistan’s agency ISI were planning to trigger blasts on public places and target “prominent” persons, including some politicians and sect-heads.
This is not the first time that falsehood of Indian Media’s propaganda is exposed, rather it is now turning to be a thing of routine occurrence in Punjab.
In November 2009 on the eve of 25th anniversary of genocidal violence against Sikhs, Sikh bodies were organizing one day shut down on of 3rd November (2009). A prominent Punjabi newspaper claimed to possess the copy of “top secret” communication, alleged to have taken place between Senior officer of Intelligence Bureau (IB) of India and Ministry of Home Affairs (Government of India – GOI). The news report warned that despite the repeated assurances and claims made by Sikh bodies that the shut down would be peaceful, there was enough input available with the IB that Sikh militants hiding in Pakistan would trigger incidents of bomb blasts and public shooting on the 25th anniversary of November 1984 violence against Sikhs.
When the Sikh Siyasat contacted the journalist said to have reported the concerned news report, admitted that even he did not believe that November 3, 2009 shutdown would witness any sort of violence. He said it was policy of his newspaper to carry such reports and it was him employment compulsion to fabricate such stories.
These highly sensitive news reports accusing Sikhs for plotting to hit public with violence are published by Indian media on a routine basis, whenever Punjab is engaged in some process of political importance, such as mass mobilization by Sikhs (to mark ghallughaha or holocaust day or public movement against anti-Sikh activities of certain State patronized cults), SGPC elections or assembly elections etc.
Independent observers told “Sikh Siyasat” that this was part of media-war against the Sikhs and their cause. Such news contents, when published repeatedly on selective occasions, serve a specific purpose of terrorizing the people of Punjab. This way the State projects Pro-Independence Sikhs as a threat to public safety and tries to discredit them and at the same time presents a very negative image of the cause of proposed Sikh State or Khalistan.
Another political observers was of the view that it was not a random phenomena rather an effective tool of psychological warfare initiated by the Indian state against the Sikhs.
Tagged with: Embedded Journalism, Indian Media, Khalistan, Media War Against Sikhs, Punjab Assembly Election 2012, Punjab Assembly Elections 2012, Punjab Polls 2012, Sikh Struggle
Shame on Indian media. The photo example of indian newspaper website is clear proof of embedded journalism.
We need strong media to counter this attack by media war.
There is no doubt that central Congress Govt. has misused IB and Media etc. to project Sikhs as violent and terrorist people for their political gains in other states. But high and peaceful turn out of voters in Punjab prooves that Sikhs and Punjabis are against violance. The general public and Media should smarten up and start speaking and voting against the bad policy of Congress party to Divide and Rule.
media war is taking place almost everywhere in this world. indian media is being used as a weapon by indian state against sikhs. keep in mind there are other ways of hampring the sikh cause besides projecting sikhs as terrorists. media now days is used to change the issues, change the context and ultimately change the psychology.
indian state through media popularized the sikh genocide as a mere incident of rioting.
congress is largely belived as sole culprit but the reality is that whole system stood united against sikhs and various successive governments including that of bjp-led NDA [...] did nothing to nail the culprits.
many in smart media of india try to [...] manuplate things by even using strong words against indira gandhi and congress for blaming them for june 1984 attack, term this attack as tragic and unfortunate and there by advocating to forget these events, but remember they do not talk about justice and system’s responsibility for deliberate failure to bring justice, but even for june 1984 attack l. k. advani of bjp claimed that indira gandhi and congress was forced by him and his party bjp to attack darbar sahib which shows that both main participants of indian democracy, usually opponent of each other in poll battle were united against the sikhs. i could remember how kuldeep naiyer advocated the sikhs to forget 1984 by saying that if one party or one leader or one government did wrong you can change the party, leader or government. this type of interpretation is misleading because to the context he forwarded his plea (june 1984) the reality is that whole indian system/state including majority, parties like congress/bjp, the government and media was united and up in arms against sikhs.
so the issue you have raised here is much wider in context and effect.
try to present regular views and analyse move events from this view point to make things more clear.
gurvir singh
I agree with Gurvir Singh but I think Sikhs do not have enough media base to counter mediawar of India. We need to grow our own media. Sikh Siyasat is doing good job. Next generation media is going to be internet based so we need to develop Sikh siyasat strongly.
I agree with this.Even in govt.service sikhs are terrorised by building groups of corrupt employees against them to defame them intentionally and then looting public money by gangs of corrupt employees.This is very sorry state of kaum which sacrify their lives for the sake of others.No one is helping truely.
good step Bhaji. Keep it up.
Look what Zee News was saying: http://bit.ly/z9vXvW
and have a look at tribune group’s report also- http://bit.ly/w0h2iJ
shame on liar media.
I am currently staying in Punjab. Media in Punjab is totally under control of politicians and they get the news published as per their political motive. For Ex. Ajit Jalandhar always publishes news in favor of CM Parkash Badal. News Channel PTC Punjabi/PTC News is being owned by Badal family. We need a channel like “Sikh Channel” and a News Paper like Charhdikala (Being Published in US/Canada).