A simple test for India's media

[Guest guest]

indicjournalists, "Arindam Banerji"

<arindamb@p...> wrote:

 

Friends,

 

Some of you maybe aware of the 8 terrorists arrested yesterday in

Hyderabad

(rediff clip included at the end). What is interesting about this

case, is

the customary community reaction that has followed these arrests -

From

NDTV.com

see

http://www.ndtv.com/topstories/showtopstory.asp?

slug=Eight+suspected+LeT+militants+arrested&id=15172

I'm including below, the relevant quote about the community reaction

to this

arrest...

 

Now here's the test that I believe our media will fail - note the

reaction

to this preposterous community reaction and compare it with the

coverage of

the community reaction to the Jhabua rape case. Just a simple test -

the

only difference is that the Hindu community in Jhabua, was protesting

a

heinous crime that had taken place, while the Muslim protestors here

are

trying to shield some anti-national terrorists who were collaborating

with

an enemy state. Oh! yeah - the religions of the two communities

concerned,

are different - that may have something to do with it.

 

Interesting ain't it?

 

QUOTE ABOUT COMMUNITY REACTION FROM NDTV

Meanwhile, in an unprecedented incident, the Hyderabad Police

Commissioner's

office became the target of over 80 women and youth.

 

They barged into his office today protesting against the arrest of

eight

youth from the old city area.

 

"They have arrested innocent young men. They have even arrested a

priest.

What does all this mean?", said an agitated protestor.

 

"The idea is to put pressure on the police to make sure no action is

taken.

In order to do this they push forward burqa-clad women. Their main

motive is

to get publicity," said R P Singh, Police Commissioner, Hyderabad.

UNQUOTE

 

 

Actual report follows:

Eight 'LeT terrorists' held in Andhra

http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/aug/29ap.htm

Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad | August 29, 2004 14:13 IST

Last Updated: August 29, 2004 18:34 IST

 

 

The Hyderabad police has arrested eight suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba

operatives and unearthed a plot to explode an improvised explosive

device

near a Ganesh temple in Secunderabad during the forthcoming Ganesh

festival.

 

Seven other suspects are absconding.

 

"By timely planning and action, the city police unearthed the entire

conspiracy, arrested the important accused, seized explosives and

saved the

situation, which otherwise would have resulted in a major law and

order

problem," Police Commissioner R P Singh said on Sunday evening.

 

The arrested included a religious leader, Maulana Naseeruddin, the

commissioner said.

 

Naseeruddin headed an organisation known as the Tahreek Tahfuz

Shariat-e-Islami (Movement for Protection of Islamic Law).

 

"Naseeruddin has been working clandestinely on behalf of the

Lashkar-e-Tayiba and their leaders Abdul Bari alias Abu Hamza and

Shahed

alias Abu Nidal, both natives of Hyderabad, presently operating from

Saudi

Arabia," Singh said.

 

"These operations were plotted in pursuance of the overall terrorist

game-plan of LeT to indulge in subversion and sabotage to disturb

peace and

national integrity of India. Naseeruddin has been instrumental in

fomenting

communal passions among the gullible and innocent youth and making

them

resort to inhuman activities," the commissioner added.

 

Naseeruddin was providing ideological, financial and moral support to

the

other accused, who had planned very meticulously and wanted to operate

during the forthcoming Ganesh festival.

 

The accused had started procuring firearms and explosives to prepare

the

IED, which was to be planted near the Ganesh temple adjacent to the

Secunderabad railway station.

 

One of the accused, in the guise of a devotee, was to explode the IED

by

operating a remote control.

 

According to the officer, acting on information that Naseeruddin and

his

associates were indulging in subversive activities, a task force

raided

their hideout at Ghousenagar under the Chandrayangutta police limits

early

Sunday.

 

The task force nabbed four persons -- Ahmed Mohiuddin Rashid, Syed

Abdul

Quadeer, Sheikh Fareed and Munawarullah Shareef -- and seized

firearms,

ammunition, explosive substances, fuse wires and detonators.

 

An Ambassador car and two stolen two-wheelers were also seized.

 

Another man, Abdul Aziz, an explosives expert, managed to escape.

 

Based on the confessions of the accused, the police apprehended

Naseeruddin

near his house and also arrested three others -- Omar Farooq, Mohammed

Jaweed and Ghulam Aslam Siddiqui-- from the house of one Aslam at Toli

Chowki.

 

Arindam Banerji, Ph.D

 

--- End forwarded message ---