What's Wrong With This Picture?
this ad (click for larger pic @ flickr) --
was on the front page of the delhi edition of the hindustan times on friday, november 28, 2008. see?
the bombay edition for the same day --
did not feature this ad.
HT, you should be ashamed of yourself.
below, part of an email/facebook note i sent out/posted last night. i've heard back from several people saying that they've written to HT. maybe something will come of this; maybe not. but at least we're doing something, and having our voices heard.
No matter what your personal politics are, I hope will you recognize that my aim here is simply to raise awareness -- to highlight how the world of politics has already begun leeching off the events of this past week, and how, too, certain sections of the Indian media seem to be more about money/TRPs/ad sales than the objective, sensitive, non-partisan dissemination of information. Yes, emotions and stakes are high during elections, but higher when national security and citizens' lives and liberties are at risk. Now is hardly the time or
the occasion for rabble- (and vote-) rousing -- especially by a party which has been unable (or unwilling?), during its various stints in power, to circumvent several acts of "brutal terror".
I have already written to the Hindustan Times to put on record my disgust that they would choose to run this ad at all (the political clout of the ad's sponsor notwithstanding). If you would like to contact them, too, you can do so at:
Email: feedback@hindustantimes.com
**UPDATE**: The feedback@ email address seems to be bouncing messages. You can email letters@hindustantimes.com
HT Media Limited
Hindustan Times House
18-20, K.G. Marg
New Delhi - 110 001, India
Phone : +91-11-6656-1234
Fax : +91-11-2370-4600
if you have a few minutes to spare, join the movement, small though it be. make a difference in (y)our world.
Labels: ActOut, Idiotry, Life The Universe and Everything, Meta
posted by ~*sim*~ @ 2:41 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
HI Simran. While I think that what you write is bang on, you also must realize that India is a country in which politics is not based on democracy, but instead on vote banks. Whether it's a Hindu, Muslim, Dalit or other - leaders are elected based on these vote banks. So yes, ofcourse BJP will write out an ad because that's what will win them votes. And if BJP were in power, Congress would do that too. The main point, however is not that it's BJP or Congress. The main point is that we elect our leaders NOT based on their performance, but instead based on their biases towards particular communities that they favour.
So what we really need here is political reform of the highest level that really allows people to elect a leader based on his or her performance. So that he or she can be made accountable. When a company goes bankrupt, the CEO is fired, but when our country is attacked, there is no one who stands up and claims responsibility or even shows the political will to react.
This I find the biggest problem. Not the petty politics - because unfortunately that's not something that will go away so easily.
Disgusting - both the party that chose to convert a tragedy into votes and the newspaper that chose to publish this.
I am joining hands in this initiative of yours and sending out my protest to HT too.
Post a Comment
<< Home