Mayawati and the Media
Devsagar Singh
Ever since the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Kanshi Ram slapped a newsperson at a press conference at his house in Delhi some years ago, there has been no let up in the love-hate relationship between the party leadership and the media. Indeed, it has assumed new heights during the Mayawati regime in
In the past few months that Mayawati has been in office as Chief Minister of the largest state, the media has been circumspect , not sure of what is in store for it. Instead of a healthy relationship between the government and the fourth estate, what is emerging is an atmosphere of mistrust and suspicion. This seems to be leading to some kind of a tension between the two. Seemingly small incidents get blown out of proportion, and that only exacerbates tension.
Take, for example,a press conference held at her residence about a month and half ago at
Pradhan was not invited to her press briefings for several occasions subsequently. But more than that, according to journalists present during that infamous briefing, some kind of media hunt was started by the government. The Information Directorate began trying to identify who the "pro" and "anti" Mayawati correspondents in the state headquarters were. Indeed, it is learnt, a full list was prepared of correspondents who enjoyed government accommodation in
When probed deeper, it transpired that the official media (Information Directorate) itself played a role in dividing correspondents into anti and pro Mayawati camps allegedly to pursue the divide and rule policy.
The Sarat Pradhan case has now been dwarfed by the raging Raja Bhaiyya episode in the state. It was as though the media (or a large section of it) in UP was waiting to strike at Mayawati and the arrest of Raghuraj Pratap Singh (alias Raja Bhaiyya) gave them a chance. Uniformly , the media bannered the arrest of Raja Bhaiyya and sought to portray that Mayawati`s days were numbered. Even editorials suggested that the Mayawati government was in serious trouble and the change may not be far away.
The mood in the media soon after the arrest of Raja Bhaiyya about a month and a half ago and now is markedly different. Journalists were ready to bet that the Mayawati regime is as good as gone immediately after the arrest. So, they left no stone unturned in attacking her. Now that she seems to have stood her ground, the press is turning too. "It seems to be taking a turn in favour of Mayawati. Media, like politicians, first felt that the days of Mayawati are numbered. They first tried to report in favour of Raja Bhaiyya. But when it became clear that the rebellion (of Raja Bhaiyya) had almost fizzled out, there appears to be a clear signal in favour of Mayawati with the approval of the editors", says J P Shukla, correspondent of the Hindu in Lucknow.
There are innumerable number of examples of how the media and the government led by Mayawati have played truant with the profession for their own immediate gains. So, you see a scribe or a publication throwing venom at Mayawati some time and singing paens to her later. Similarly, if the Mayawati establishment wants to tame a media house, it will go to any length to do it .
"All kinds of cock and bull stories were printed by a section of the media to defame Raja Bhaiyya`s father, Udai Pratap Singh, after the latter`s arrest under Pota. This was only to appease Mayawati. Earlier, the same publication was attacking Mayawati for going ahead with the arrest of his son", commented R.B.Singh, Bureau Chief of Indian Express, Lucknow.
It seems the genesis of the Mayawati-media tussle lies in the caste and class ridden psyche of journalists of UP in general. Coming from the upper castes, most journalists seem to feel that it is not for Mayawati to reign them in. It hurts their ego just as it hurts the upper caste politicians across the state.
The higher caste journalists generally opposed to Mayawati have had been hopeful over the Congress breakaway group joining hands with Mulayam Singh Yadav`s Samajwadi Party. But that option too seemed to be fizzling out. Most of the breakaway Congress legislators have aready joined the Mayawati bandwagon, further strengthening here government. In other words, it has further disappointed a section of the media.
Yet again, within the media, there is certain caste divide. Though they would not like to admit in public, in private they have no qualms in accepting the fact that Thakur journalists have one group and the Brahmin journalists have another. At times,they get together to fight on a common platform. But for most of the time, just scratch the surface and you would find the caste bias even among this so called higher caste professionals.
There is little wonder then that an astute politician like Mayawati choses to cash in on this caste divide and tries to perpetrate the time tested divide and rule policy.
Devsagar Singh was formerly bureau chief of Financial Express and
Contact: singhdevsagar@rediffmail.com