'Shun silence over atrocities on backwards, shed double standards, take stand': Open letter to editors

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

Dr Manisha Bangar has written an open letter to editors over their silence in atrocities regarding the bahujans and has said that democracy can't be saved if mainstream media remains mum.

She has cited the recent attack on professor Sanjay Yadav in Motihari (Bihar), who was targeted with casteist slur and burtally thrashed. The assailants poured petrol on him and attempted to set him afire.

"Had it not been the timely intervention of his companions and locals, he may not have survived this attack. Though he received critical injuries". "In his plaint, he has mentioned how attackers said that he should graze cattle instead of teaching, which shows the casteist nature of the crime".

Bangar says that the attack was after he wrote a post on Facebook that irked RSS workers apart from his raising voice against the large scale mismanagement in the Mahatma Gandhi Central University.

"It is clear that this is not just an attack on an individual but an attempt to target freedom of expression of communities. Hence, the fight is imperative. This is not the first such attack either.

"All over India, voice of Bahujans is being stifled. In Tamil Nadu, there is firing on workers, in Patthalgarhi the tribals are booked in false cases and Muslims or Dalits are being targeted by cow vigilantes".

"Join the dots and you will realise the magnitude of the situation. This mob is ready to attack and silence. And, it is the backward of the country who is on their target".

Bangar says that news has to be aired with proper perspective and as media is controlled by sections of vested interests, the reports are skewed. "There are clear double standards in reporting. If a scheduled caste person is attacked and the assailant is a backward,  then it is amplified but when the elites are attackers, the caste of the assailant is ignored".

In her letter, she has appealed to the editors to take stand and speak for justice.

"From Una to Hapur and Motihari, all these incidents suggest how reports are distorted to suit agenda. There is already huge question mark on credibility of media and hence it is the duty of media men to save the reputation. (Dr Manisha Bangar is a widely respected leader and also MD-Editor of National Media News)