Navika Kumar's Vitriolic Comment On Bulldozers Reflects Sorry State Of Affairs In Indian Media

In India, media is considered the fourth pillar of democracy after legislature, executive and judiciary. Known as the society's mirror, their main aim is to reflect the public's harsh realities and make people aware of the societal issues around us. In an ideal world, the media's integral work revolves around the same and has remained the norm for time immemorial.

However, the media's roles have evolved and expanded. Indian media, for instance, has become a victim of religious polarisation. Gone are the days when any news channel or publication stayed neutral and provided both sides of the same coin. Also, a journalist's personal opinion often came to the surface, which became the platform's prime belief.

The recent times have intensified hatred toward the minority communities. The current media infrastructure has aggravated the same by blindly influencing the public into discriminating against a certain group of people, in order to drive their narrative home.

Humour In Public's Misery

Popular news anchor Navika Kumar, recently, drew flak for her tweet during the anti-encroachment drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri. As the bulldozers marched into the Northern Delhi locality, she decided to 'lighten the mood' by joking about the current situation. "Dramatic increase in demand for bulldozers. Are we increasing domestic capacity for manufacturing or will we have to depend on imports," Kumar tweeted and ended them with the unnecessary addition of laughter emojis.

The anti-encroachment driver ordered by the MCD came at a delicate time. Jahangirpuri was reeling from the violent clashes that took place on Hanuman Jayanti between Hindus and Muslims. With the communal tension at its peak, the bulldozers ushering into the area added more fuel to the fire. Fear gripped the residents as they saw the vehicles demolishing their homes and sources of livelihood.

Indian Media's Hate-Filled Narrative

Navika Kumar's controversial tweet comes as no surprise. Many news platforms have become the harbinger of bigotry towards the Muslim community, by using subtle tactics to target them. They push the hate-filled narrative forward and lure the public into believing them. Such instances only increased when the Modi government came to power, which has gotten people to question their motives.

Nonetheless, every cloud has a silver lining. Similarly, Navika Kumar's tweet received the much-deserved flak for her insensitive take on the situation. Soon after she posted it, many users called her out and rightfully so. "I wonder is this Journalism? Who can say Media is the fourth pillar of democracy now," a user pointed out."

Kumar's recent comment also reeks of elitism. Renowned photographer and producer Atul Kasbekar also criticised the anchor. "Maybe the structures r illegal n the demolitions r hence perhaps justified as well, but for what it's worth it's someone's home. That's worth a lot to the resident. To mock on your social media what would be a very difficult time for those now on the street is seriously tacky."

For a mainstream journalist like Navika Kumar, dehumanising people in the form of a 'light-hearted' joke reflects poorly on her intellect and stature. Such comments showcase the sorry state of affairs in the current Indian media that are showing no signs of improvement.

Also Read: 'Stop Bulldozing Muslim Houses': Fear Grips As MCD Orders Anti-Encroachment Drive In Delhi's Jahangirpuri