பகுஜன் சமாஜ் கட்சியின் நிறுவனர் கன்ஷிராம் இறந்தபோது அதை இந்து நாளிதழ் முக்கியத்துவம் தந்து செய்தி வெளியிடவில்லை. அதைப் பார்த்ததும் உடனே இந்து நாளிதழின் ரீடர்ஸ் எடிட்டருக்கு கண்டனக் கடிதம் ஒன்றை அனுப்பினேன். அடுத்த நாள் முதல் பக்கத்தில் கன்ஷிராம் குறித்த செய்தி வெளியிடப்பட்டது. எனக்கு அப்போது ரீடர்ஸ் எடிட்டராக இருந்த திரு . நாராயணன் கடிதம் ஒன்றை எழுதினார். நான் அவருக்கு பதில் எழுதினேன். எனது கண்டனத்தையும் அதையொட்டி இந்து நாளிதழ் எடுத்த நடவடிக்கைகளையும் பின்னர் அவர் இந்து நாளிதழில் பதிவு செய்தார். தலித் பிரச்சனைக்காக மீடியாவுடன் நான் நடத்திய போராட்டங்களில் இதுவும் ஓன்று .
1.
From: ravi kumar <kmkoilmla@gmail.com>
Date: Oct 10, 2006 2:22 PM
Subject: Kanshi Ram in "The Hindu" social order
The Readers' Editor
The Hindu
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
Kanshi Ram in "The Hindu" social order
Dear Mr NarayananI read with dismay this morning's Chennai edition of The Hindu (10 October 2006). I was saddened to find the news of BSP founder-leader Kanshi Ram's death buried at the bottom of Page 14. Not only was it relegated from Page 1, it was given the lowest status on Page 14, perhaps symbolic of the status dalits are meant to enjoy in "The Hindu social order".
True, news priorities are relative and change every day, and
A comparison of the coverage of recent prominent deaths by The Hindu would offer a sobering perspective on some unconscious prejudices the newspaper seems to nurture. When the CPI(M) politburo member Anil Biswas died, there was a two-column front-page report in the 27 March 2006 edition. A detailed obit followed in the national page inside. Perceptions may differ, but the national significance of Kanshi Ram was certainly greater than that of Biswas. But The Hindu chose not to carry even a proper file picture of Kanshi Ram; the 'newspaper of record' merely recorded Kashi Ram's death. Secondly, filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee's death was reported with more care, and an obit was featured in the op-ed page (29 August 2006). One could offer more examples, but these should suffice for now.
There are many reasons why Kanshi Ram should not have been ignored the way The Hindu chose to ignore him. Having launched the Bahujan Samaj Party in 1984, he ensured that within 10 years it gained the status as a national party in the Election Commission's nomenclature. Though dubbed by the media as a dalit leader, he was the leader of the larger society. The very name he chose for his party—Bahujan Samaj—indicated that it sought to represent the 'oppressed majority', a distinct echo of Jotiba Phule's legacy. With this philosophy, he succeeded in placing the BSP as the third biggest national force next to the Congress and the BJP. This bespoke of his organaisational abilities and this was something even the Left parties did not achieve. Such a man certainly deserved more space than what The Hindu deemed was apt for him.
D. Ravikumar
MLA, Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi
Tamil Nadu
Address:
B-1B, MLA Hostel
Government Estate, Chepauk
Chennai 600 005
=============================================================================
2.
From: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in < readerseditor@thehindu.co.in>
Date: Oct 11, 2006 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: kanshiram
To: ravikumar pondicherry <adheedhan@gmail.com >
Dear Mr. Ravikumar,
Thank you for a detailed note of anguish.
Obviously you did not notice Kanshi Ram's picture with the headline
"Kanshi Ram passes away" on Page 1, just below the masthead, what are
pointers to the most important stories inside.
The news was prominently displayed in a four-column spread. It should
have been on top of the page. This was an error of judgment, which
does happen in a newspaper at times. What was really missed was a
detailed obituary.
This has been more than made up today by the long assessment (Op-Ed
page) of the phenomenon that Kanshi Ram was, and also an editorial.
What is really uncharitable, as far as The Hindu is concerned, is your
comment that this was "symbolic of the status dalits are meant to
enjoy." This paper, I feel, has always been sympathetic to the Dalit
cause.
K. Narayanan
The Readers' Editor,
The Hindu,
Kasturi Buildings,
859 -- 860 Anna Salai,
Chennai 600 002
India
Ph: +91-44-28418297 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday)
Fax: +91-44-28552963
Email: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
Date: Oct 11, 2006 4:51 PM
Subject: Re: kanshiram
To: ravikumar pondicherry <adheedhan@gmail.com >
Dear Mr. Ravikumar,
Thank you for a detailed note of anguish.
Obviously you did not notice Kanshi Ram's picture with the headline
"Kanshi Ram passes away" on Page 1, just below the masthead, what are
pointers to the most important stories inside.
The news was prominently displayed in a four-column spread. It should
have been on top of the page. This was an error of judgment, which
does happen in a newspaper at times. What was really missed was a
detailed obituary.
This has been more than made up today by the long assessment (Op-Ed
page) of the phenomenon that Kanshi Ram was, and also an editorial.
What is really uncharitable, as far as The Hindu is concerned, is your
comment that this was "symbolic of the status dalits are meant to
enjoy." This paper, I feel, has always been sympathetic to the Dalit
cause.
K. Narayanan
The Readers' Editor,
The Hindu,
Kasturi Buildings,
859 -- 860 Anna Salai,
Chennai 600 002
Ph: +91-44-28418297 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday)
Fax: +91-44-28552963
Email: readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
=============================================================================
3.
Dear Mr. Narayanan
Thank you for the prompt response.
As you rightly admit there was an error in judgement in placing the Kanshi Ram report at the bottom of the page. I hope you will convey this to scores of readers who have been similarly anguished in your Monday column where you reflect at length on readers' concerns.
I did appreciate the article by Harish Khare in the Op-Ed page (11 October 2006). It was perhaps one of the best analysis published so far.
Let me also place on record the fact of my appreciation for The Hindu's reportage of issues related to Dalits in general. The Hindu has had a historical role in this. When the then collector of Chengelpet, H. Tremenheree, submitted his report in 1891, "Note on the Paraiahs of Chingleput," he cited two reports from The Hindu of that period to substantiate his claims about the condition of parayars in certain districts of Madras Presidency. That legacy has been sustained by the writings of P Sainath.
Allow me use this opportunity to convey a few related concerns. It is a matter of fact that few dalits seem to be employed by the mainstream media. This was admitted in an article by Siddharth Varadarajan in your newspaper ("Caste matters in the Indian media", 3 June 2006) and was borne out by a survey conducted by CSDS in May 2006. The Hindu should be no exception.
At best, The Hindu, with its concern for social justice, could at least carry the opinions of Dalit writers, scholars and academicians in its editorial and op-ed pages.
sincerely
Ravikumar
D.RAVIKUMAR
B-1 B MLA Hostel
Govt Estate, Chepauk
Chennai 600 005
=============================================================================-
4.
Immediacy, proximity are keys to news selection
Monday, Nov 20, 2006
K. NARAYANAN
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/20/stories/2006112002781100.htm
The way Kanshi Ram's passing was reported (October 10, 2006) drew a sharp comment from D. Ravikumar, MLA, Chennai. He was "dismayed and saddened by the way the news was buried at the bottom of Page 14." What made it worse, according to him, was that the paper "could not rustle up an obituary" for the "greatest Dalit leader after Ambedkar." He compared this with the way the death of CPI (M) leader Anil Biswas and filmmaker Hrishikes Mukherjee was reported.
The complaint had some basis and an error too. Kanshi Ram, and his picture, did find a place on Page 1, at the very top in the promos indicating the most important news inside. But the paper erred in not carrying an obituary note (the long report contained only tributes) and in placing the story at the bottom of a page. I made this point both to the Chief News Editor and Ravikumar. But The Hindu more than made up for this the next day with a highly appreciative editorial and an assessment of the Kanshi Ram saga by Harish Khare. M.P. Umesh Chandra of Mangalore called Khare's essay a "very meaningful and beautiful tribute", which "aptly and genuinely captured the significance of Kanshi Ram." He said it showed The Hindu was "committed to [the] ethical principle of content diversity."
Ravikumar acknowledged this in his reply to my note, and expressed appreciation of The Hindu's reportage of issues related to Dalits. The Dalit Panthers of India MLA, who is also associated with Navayana, a publishing house specialising in literature relating to Dalits, raised a "related concern" of "few Dalits employed by the mainstream media." This is too complex and sensitive an issue to be taken up here but I would like to make one point. From 1978 to 1990, when I was involved in the selection of editorial staff — in which caste and creed played no part and merit was the only consideration — there was not a single SC/ST applicant.
Monday, Nov 20, 2006
K. NARAYANAN
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/20/stories/2006112002781100.htm
The way Kanshi Ram's passing was reported (October 10, 2006) drew a sharp comment from D. Ravikumar, MLA, Chennai. He was "dismayed and saddened by the way the news was buried at the bottom of Page 14." What made it worse, according to him, was that the paper "could not rustle up an obituary" for the "greatest Dalit leader after Ambedkar." He compared this with the way the death of CPI (M) leader Anil Biswas and filmmaker Hrishikes Mukherjee was reported.
The complaint had some basis and an error too. Kanshi Ram, and his picture, did find a place on Page 1, at the very top in the promos indicating the most important news inside. But the paper erred in not carrying an obituary note (the long report contained only tributes) and in placing the story at the bottom of a page. I made this point both to the Chief News Editor and Ravikumar. But The Hindu more than made up for this the next day with a highly appreciative editorial and an assessment of the Kanshi Ram saga by Harish Khare. M.P. Umesh Chandra of Mangalore called Khare's essay a "very meaningful and beautiful tribute", which "aptly and genuinely captured the significance of Kanshi Ram." He said it showed The Hindu was "committed to [the] ethical principle of content diversity."
Ravikumar acknowledged this in his reply to my note, and expressed appreciation of The Hindu's reportage of issues related to Dalits. The Dalit Panthers of India MLA, who is also associated with Navayana, a publishing house specialising in literature relating to Dalits, raised a "related concern" of "few Dalits employed by the mainstream media." This is too complex and sensitive an issue to be taken up here but I would like to make one point. From 1978 to 1990, when I was involved in the selection of editorial staff — in which caste and creed played no part and merit was the only consideration — there was not a single SC/ST applicant.
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