The
Media And Laloos Jail Yatra
Former
Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav`s visit to Ranchi to surrender before
the CBI Court in fodder scam case, became a major media event. For two days it
appeared that some great leader was going to jail for a larger social goal like
Gandhi’s Dandi march. More than a thousand vehicles accompanyed this shrewd
politician to Ranchi. The yatra(march ) was really different from other marches
like Advani’s rath yatra, Sunil Dutt’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and even his mentor
Chandra Shekhar’s Padyatra. His cavalcade was not of common people of the state
but a band of leaders of his party, right from ministers to even street level
local politicians, power brokers and contractors. The scene was similar to the
election campaign of any ruling party.
Mr
Yadav was going to serve another jail term in multi-crore fodder scam of one of
the poorest states of this country. The magnitude of this scam was so great
that it was almost half of the Plan budget of Bihar, and more than the actual
expenditure on development annually. The scam money was mercilessly spent by
these scamsters not only in purchasing plots and houses in posh colonies of
metros but some of them even went to the extent of financing films. Film
actress such as Mamta Kulkarni and other Mumbai-based dancers were invited for
their entertainment by paying lakhs of rupees.
Laloo
Yadav is a master media manager and he knows how to stay in media limelight.
Whatever he says particularly before media, becomes news having only
entertainment value. People kept laughing while seeing him on TV saying "Sher
ja raha hai aur gidar sab bhag rahe hain", or Bail nahi milega to matha
phore lenge kya ya hawa me ure jainge.., Hum apne bahut khurafati hain mere
sath e log kya khurafat karega." The media vied with one other for maximum
coverage of Laloo’s Jail Yatra. TV news channels had running commentary to this
event: "Now Laloo has crossed Bihar border, he will not reach Ranchi before mid
night". Their cameras were strategically placed on the top of the Garib Rath in
which this former Chief Minister was travelling.
The
war in Afganistan , the debate on POTO, Benazir’s visit and everything else
became secondary. Right from the morning, Aaj Tak and Zee TV tried to capture
everything including every nonsensical syllable Laloo Prasad uttered. They went
even to ask how he slept in the night; what he took in his breakfast before
leaving for this great march. Senior reporters from Delhi landed at Patna and
Ranchi for special coverage.
This
is not for the first time he was going to jail. In the last four years he has
visited jail five times, though most of the time has been spent in the police
guesthouse and hospital enjoying every comfort. This time he planned this event
to make it a big tamasha to deflect the people’s attention from the core issue
as to why he was going to jail! And the electronic media and local Hindi
newspapers fell for the gambit.
Bihar
is not only Laloo Prasad Yadav. If he alone can make news for Bihar, then
definitely media is doing gross injustice to this state. It is failing to
capture the larger canvas of one of the most sensitive, neglected, yet
culturally rich states in the country.
Contact:
E-Mail: ajay@bihartimes.com