Wednesday 3 February 2021

Fake News by our Media

The month of January 2021 has been in the limelight for several reasons. And perhaps the most shocking is the deliberate attempt to fool the people of India - or, in my opinion, to ignite negative passions and incite violence. 

I start with the story that came from the fertile imagination of Vishnu Som of NDTV - a channel that, to me, has become known for fanning negative news about India on any grounds. The story created was that the current govt was caught napping when the Chinese entered into Indian territory in Arunachal Pradesh, and built a whole village. And there were even photos/video to prove the story!! Only Vishnu Som, the journalist, did not bother to check that, though the area was indeed a part of Arunachal Pradesh, it had been under occupation of the Chinese since 1959 - in the time of Jawaharlal Nehru!!!! When the truth came out, Vishnu Som did not even care to apologize.

https://twitter.com/VishnuNDTV/status/1351101693103104001?s=19

Immediately, The Wire had also carried this story. In fact The Wire also carried out China’s justification in an article which also carried their tweet, as also their own for posting this (fake) story but did not say why they had not checked their facts.

https://thewire.in/external-affairs/construction-on-own-territory-normal-says-china-on-report-of-arunachal-village

But NDTV and The Wire succeeded in doing what perhaps they had set out to do - that day's twitter trend had lakhs of such horrid remarks about our PM and his weakness, his inability to prevent the Chinese from entering our own country but wanted to bully the poor farmers. Hashtag was #StopChinaNotFarmers  Such hate was absolutely unimaginable. 

Anyway, here is a link to a YouTube video of Mr. Shekhar Gupta - well known critic of Narendra Modi - exposing the fake story by Vishnu Som and by The Wire.

https://youtu.be/hPPhTSdWa8U

But where were/are the troubled reactions questioning the intent of this fake story, I wonder. And this when our social media immediately requires, nay even demands, tolerance of fake news. Such is the present status of our Opposition Parties and their supporters.

Do expect another post on Fake news. 

(Addendum - I am shocked to hear Atishi of AAP fame continue the untruth in today's 9 o'clock debate on TimesNow, when she questioned 'a govt who allowed intrusions into Arunachal Pradesh' - ill-informed or ill-intended? - I leave it to the reader to decide)

Next: More Fake Stories

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very good and useful blog. Cheers

Anju Saha said...

Thanks

Unknown said...

There used to be time when something in print or news paper was supposed to be true and reliable. Now time has come that internet provides a megaphone to every body and you keep wondering what to believe and what not to believe. In USA it is called alternative truth, which every political party puts forward to suit it self.

PC said...

Thanks these fake posts need to be exposed.

Anonymous said...

thanks for speaking up! we need it!