The media all across the world has shown again and again that what it fears the most is accountability and taking responsibility for its actions. The media wants complete independence to carry on with its work without having to face any repercussions for its often improper and criminal conduct.
Reports came in earlier today that the IT department was conducting raids at the residential premises of Raghav Bahl, the owner and founder of the left-leaning media portal. Almost immediately, before any details of the raids had emerged, the usual suspects began branding the raids as an attack on the media.
After Pranoy Roy, now @Raghav_Bahl is targeted. Raghav is one of the most credible media personalities. Now he is paying the price for being anti-establishment, criticising Modi Govt.
— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) October 11, 2018
Wasn’t given license for channel and now raids. Oh, and was critical of the govt #RaghavBahl https://t.co/UYcJEwm6MP
— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) October 11, 2018
No one in India is allowed to criticize Modi – No one! https://t.co/PJ1G4prOI8 via @ndtv
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) October 11, 2018
There is “Jumla” in Income Tax Act- circumstantial evidence. Yes, the circumstantial evidence is @Raghav_Bahl @TheQuint’s independent and fearless journalism. That’s why IT search & survey @TheQuint. See our coverage and decide for yourself.
— Sanjay Pugalia (@sanjaypugalia) October 11, 2018
Before investigations could even to any conclusion, the media had already passed its judgment and absolved Bahl of any wrongdoing. Since a long time, the media has been less of a watchdog on various institutions of the state and more of a protected class which works solely to protect and promote its own interests.
The media does not want to be subjected to the same standards it sets for others and cries victim every time someone among them is accused of misconduct or investigated regarding some matter. It appears the self-aggrandizing media cannot perceive that anyone from their fraternity could commit crimes and be prosecuted for it. It a delusion that they collectively suffer from, that the only reason any powerful journalist could be prosecuted for is always only political.
The media has clearly shown time and again that they are completely incapable of regulating themselves. And there is absolutely no reason why they should be held to a different standard than any other citizen of India. Yet, that is exactly what they seek. They seek a complete lack of accountability and more disturbingly, they seek to use their power to shape public opinion to alleviate themselves above the ambit of law.
Indian mainstream media outlets have failed miserably to perform the one task that it is supposed to be a media outlet’s primary job: report news. We, at OpIndia.com, have regularly exposed the remarkable frequency with which the media spread fake news and yet suffers absolutely no consequence as a result. Instead of reporting facts, they write fiction to further a narrative that would help a particular political party. The reason why the media cries foul every time one of them is investigated or suffer some punitive action by the NDA government and claims political motive on their part is because they are fully aware that they are acting as political hacks and therefore, always live under the fear that their political opponents in the government will take action against them driven by political motives.
The mainstream media wants complete independence to lecture the rest of us on how to conduct ourselves while portraying themselves to be the torchbearers of virtuous conduct in the country. And yet, as we have seen clearly these past days, they completely fail to curb the rampant exploitation of women by people in their own midst and often turn a blind eye to their colleagues’ conduct. They are completely blind to the crippling character flaws that many senior editors in their fraternity suffer from.
The mainstream media should take a long hard look at the mirror and introspect on why large sections of the country absolutely detest them. They are not angels who have descended from heaven that they are incapable of committing any crime. It absolutely disgusts that they want to project themselves above the ambit of law.
They do not even want law enforcement authorities to investigate them. It reeks of elitism, arrogance and hypocrisy. It’s not the politicians in the country which are the most entitled bunch. It’s the mainstream media journalists who are so arrogant that they believe themselves to be so entitled that law enforcement authorities should not even investigate them even if they valid cause.
