Srinagar: Senior People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Ex VC JK Cements, Er Nazir Ahmad Yatoo on Friday said that the sole agenda of Indian Media is to incite communal hatred among people in India.
In a statement issued here, Senior PDP leader said that, the Indian media especially electronic is trying to divide people on the lines of religion, a large section of the Indian media, especially TV, has played a pernicious role in amplifying bigotry towards muslims. Adding that, Prime time television in India has become a platform to peddle hatred against Muslims, the largest minority group at 14 per cent of the country’s population.
“This is a form of Islamophobia that has been spread. In particular, few television anchors who have contributed to so called ‘Corona Jihad’ in Indian society, and they include Arnab Goswami, Anjana Om Kashyap, Sudhir Chaudhary, Rahul Kanwal and Amish Devgun, hate-filled news programmes are not limited to a few channels or some anchors, hundreds of news channels follow the same format here in India,” Yatoo said.
Yatoo, while giving an example of Pampore family, who invited stranded Mumbai residents to their home and offered them free meals and accommodation, said Kashmiris have always set an example during tough times by helping non-locals. While as in India, Muslims are still linked by media to crime, violence, and terrorism. Yet it is worth noting that during this time, when the media in other countries are giving preference to content related to COVID-19, Indian media is busy in spreading venom against Muslims.
“Night after night, these TV debates focus not on holding the government to account but communal rifts – real or perceived – between Hindus and Muslims, they are murdering Indian democracy, very few people are doing journalism today in India. Channels from Zee News, Republic, Aaj Tak to Network18 like to add the word ‘jihad’ to everything. Corona jihad or zameen jihad, love jihad, and whatnot. But if anyone is waging a holy war today, it is Indian media’s jihad against Indian Muslims,” said PDP leader.
Er Nazir Yatoo said, while world is fighting with deadly virus (COVID-19) and Youngsters are yelling for jobs, good education, want to become future of country are being turned into rioters to support a particular political party. Today’s media has become Hindu media and they don’t follow ideals of journalism, he said .
People are waiting for an opportunity to throw these channels in dustbin. The common man has found the alternative in news channels like NDTV which stands for development, humanity and love for the nation, he said.