In a recent exchange with a leading publisher of an ethnic
Indian newspaper, I inquired why he hasn't carried a news item on the Indian
Americans protesting before the United Nations where Prime Minister Modi was
addressing the General Assembly. The answer came swiftly back in a query
whether the demonstration was anti-India! I responded in kind, saying
protesting Modi policies does not constitute taking an anti-India stand.
Unfortunately, that is the sad reality that the ethnic Indian media has fallen
into.
A respected journalist recently told me that management
chastised him for inviting me to an election debate before the 2019 elections
in India to present an opposing point of view to the policies promoted by OFBJP
leaders. Obviously, the forces who have taken control of the ethnic Indian
media business using their money power, are under no illusion that there is a
certain requiem in journalistic tradition to honor a diversity of points of
view.
These forces do not misunderstand the role of the media, but
rather, they appear to be deliberate in their efforts in promoting a particular
agenda to influence the Diaspora in the U.S. Often, their agenda regarding
India runs counter to the values and principles the United States holds dear,
and oaths taken by many of them when they have renounced their Indian
citizenships.
Media which is also dubbed as 'fourth estate,' refers to the
watchdog role it plays in a functioning democracy. In the United States, the
first amendment to the constitution 'frees' the press from government control
or oversight. However, that freedom carries with it great responsibility as a
guardian of people's interests. There is
no doubt that the ethnic Indian media must be held under the same standard
dealing with issues of concern to them, whether that happens in the U.S. or
India.
'Godi Media' is a
term coined by journalist NDTV's Ravish Kumar, translating to "lapdogs'
because they "sit in the master's lap, but they don't' bite as much as
they yap". The New York Times reported that "Modi has shrewdly
cultivated the media to build a cult of personality that portrays him as the
nation's selfless savior." Government officials appear to be complicit in
controlling the media narrative, cutting government advertising, and ordering
tax investigations on outlets that do not toe the line. The corporate ownership
of the media has enabled these power centers to remove the editors and
journalists they disagree with. According to reporters without borders, India
is now ranked 142nd on the global press freedom index, with censorships and
disinformation on the rise. Consequently, the current administration has
succeeded in mostly controlling the narrative of the national discussions.
Although the Diaspora is well-positioned to tap into as many
available sources, including social media, Indian ethnic publications play a
major role in disseminating news and information that directly impacts the
community. The community leaders rely on
them greatly to promote events and celebrate various festivals.
According to the latest U.S. census, the Diaspora may
account for five million Asian Indians who have come to these shores in the short
span of the last five decades. If one looks at the demography based on
religion, there is an even split between the number of Hindus and Non-Hindus
who have settled down across the continent. Most Hindus profess to support
democratic and pluralistic ideas and are opposed to a Hindu Rashtra for
India. How, then, did we end up with a
pro-Hindutva media that promotes the philosophy of V.D. Savarkar rather than of
Jawaharlal Nehru.
It is puzzling why the Indian Diaspora is a not vocal
defenders of freedom, democracy, and fraternity as it is the largest group of
economic refugees living around the globe seeking fairness, justice, and equal
opportunity. We do aspire for religious freedom wherever we live and promote
our culture and cuisine at every opportunity. At this point in time, we are
indeed delighted to see that a few leading Congressmen in the House of
Representatives are submitting a resolution to make Diwali a federal holiday.
However, when Prime Minister Modi renamed 'Good Friday' into Digital Day and
'Christmas day' into a working day for the federal government in a country
where Christian history dates to the turn of the first century, it was met with
deafening silence on the part of the Diaspora as well as the media.
The recent government action canceling the OCI cards of some
who have participated in protests supporting the farmers of India is a case in
point where the media, except for a handful of courageous editors, has gone
AWOL. Some media outlets who would make such a hue and cry at the slightest
provocation against Indians in terms of verbal attacks or disrespecting a
religious symbol would easily turn a blind eye towards serious violations of
human rights and religious freedom in India. This duplicity is not only
protecting the perpetrators of those crimes but also undermining the very
concept of the shared value system of these two democracies.
The non-resident Indians have a long history of expressing
their opinion in support or opposition to the government's policies of India as
they have felt it as an obligation to help those they have left behind. That
partnership has brought educational enlightenment and scientific advancement to
a country in dire need of capital and technological skillset. Looking back in
history, the Diaspora had vehemently disagreed with the government on
occasions, such as the declaration of Emergency by then Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. The voice of its dissent reverberated across the globe, even resulting
in sanctions against NRIs. If the Diaspora is counted on only to bring in the
dough and then shut up, that partnership would soon vanish in the thin air.
In a recent conference in Chicago by a group of media
personnel, the visiting journalists were reported to have voiced their
displeasure with the Modi government trying to control the narrative in
explaining its various policies to the public. However, the discussion should
have been focused on how the Indian ethnic media here in the U.S. has mostly
failed to uphold the basic journalistic principles by blindly following the
whims of a regime with very little tolerance for freedom of expression.
If one examines the case of prime Minister Modi's recent
visit to the U.S., the following scenario will become evident to any keen
observer of the US-India relationship.
It appears that Modi was not accorded a warm reception in Washington,
and the symbolism was not lost on anyone. There was neither a senior member of
the U.S. government to receive Modi nor was the ceremonial carpet laid out for
him as he set foot in the U.S. He was
also treated as a problem child by Kamala Harris, the first Asian Indian
Vice-President ever to hold the office, who lectured him on the need to protect
democracy. Then he met with President Biden, where a low-level U.S. official
received him to the oval office and the same official escorting him back to his
limousine. One needs to go back to the pages of history to see how Indian prime
Ministers were received to understand the contrast fully. However, suppose one
reads the Indian ethnic media, an entirely different picture is painted with
throngs of people waiting for him at every turn, with a little hint of getting
a cold shoulder from the top brass in the U.S. during the visit.
ASIANET may be the most popular channel in Kerala for news
and analysis. However, their U.S. outfit behaves as if they owe their
allegiance somewhere else. The sentiment of most of the Kerala community in the
U.S. that believes in pluralism and democracy rarely gets reflected on their
news reporting, often obfuscating their real concerns as regards the regressive
policies of the Modi administration and its real impact on the lives of their
fellow citizens. They prefer to have the video clips filled with 'feel good'
events rather than showing visuals of hundreds of members of the Diaspora in
front of the U.N. demanding fair treatment for the farmers in India!
There is an urgent need for honest journalism to speak the
truth to power in India and within the Diaspora. The primary function of
journalism is to connect, inform and educate the public. Unless the media
stands firm and refuses to be stifled and intimidated, there is very little
hope in preserving freedom and justice and demanding accountability from power
centers. The Indian ethnic press in the U.S. bears an even bigger
responsibility in creating open space and helping to stop the spread of
division and hatred within the community. Anything less would be tantamount to
a total abdication of their moral responsibility to the public!
(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United
Nations and Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)
