After Pulwama, a manufactured outpouring of grief

February 18, 2019 10:38

Within hours of the latest -- and bloodiest -- terror attack in Kashmir that left 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force dead, the information and broadcasting ministry issued an advisory to "all private satellite TV channels" about the coverage of the tragedy and its aftermath.

It asked television channels to be "particularly cautious' with any content which "is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes; and/or... contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation'.

On the face of it, the advisory seemed utterly pointless. Given the ultranationalist tenor of most television news even in normal times, the chances of any channel promoting "anti-national attitudes' after such a horrific attack on security forces were less than nil.

On the contrary, the advisory provided the perfect backdrop for many a channel to indulge in unabashed warmongering. Television studios were transformed into "war rooms" and there were shrill demands for retribution and revenge against Pakistan.

Heart-rending stories about the families left behind by the hapless soldiers killed while defending the unity and integrity of the country only added to the sense of national outrage.

The advisory, it soon transpired, had had its desired effect. Such has been the impact of the hyper-emotional coverage of the Pulwama tragedy that every political party has come out in full support of the government in this "hour of national crisis'.

The Congress, living up to its reputation of being the "natural party of governance' has taken the lead. Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party and Narendra Modi himself (when in the Opposition) seized upon every terror attack to pillory previous governments, the Congress chose not to retaliate in kind. Read Manini Chatterjee's column for the Telegraph.

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