Friends to foes: Amar Singh & Hindustan Times (HT)

How things change! Once Amar Singh was too close to HT establishment and no story against him could go in the paper. Then he fell out with Vir Sanghvi and all of a sudden he became 'P3--socialite--lobbyist--even dalaal and what not!'.
I have no sympathy for Amar Singh but should prestigious newspapers behave in this manner. It is HT and TOI that have promoted this page 3 culture and now Amar Singh is being attacked for the same. What double standards! Amar Singh and Vir wrote open letters to each other Now every other day we find Amar Singh being attacked in the paper. Isn't it shameful that once your relations got sour, you just change sides. So you think the reader is EDIOT! Just the way media organisations are run in this country.

Good story on a social issue

Though it has been quite a few days since the story appeared but it was definitely good story. An important issue. Hindol Sengputa's story (on CNN-IBN)was about vegetarians not allowing non-vegetarians enter their housing societies. The Jains are particularly harsh on Muslims and Christians. Also, lower castes bear the brunt. I really don't understand this self-styled high moral ground taken up by the vegetarians though I have no great love for non-vegetarian. But it is indeed a problem in most North Indian cities. Such 'stings' are also needed because it brings us to face our double standards and the complex society.

DP Yadav demolishes studio-journos

So when the court acquitted the accused in the murder of Jessica Lal, who was serving liquor at the party of socialites, dalaals and nawabzadas, the electronic channels suddenly stirred out of their slumber.

They also remembered the Nitish Katara case. Vikas Yadav's father DP Yadav demolished the anchor on CNN-IBN just when he caught her on the wrong foot. 'How can you treat us as culprit when the matter is in the court'. 'Who gave media this power?'. 'Is media above the court?". These questions were uncomfortable no doubt and the journalists who don't have an iota of knowledge about basic crime reporting were exposed in front of all viewers.
What a pity! I was sorry to see these glorified journos getting exposed so horribly. Naturally if you don't understand a dime about crime and have never worked on a beat as cub-reporter you are bound to land in this embarrassing situation someday. Do these anchors understand the difference between 'zamanat' and 'muchalka' or say hirasat and giraftari? Never even talked to a constable or even inspector and aware of not even the J of Judiciary, they start making their foolish statements and giving verdicts that ultimately show the entire media in poor light. The same happened on the sister concern, Channel 7. DP Yadav is a politician, one who must have got hundreds released from police station and you have to be familiar with the basics but then anchors try to be journos and also celebrities.
And every day hundreds of accused go scot-free. Of course, Jessica's case and mobilising the people on this issue can serve the nation well. But she was doing nothing but playing 'saqi' to the socialites, dalaals and politicians who have misused this system. She was part of that and that is why there is the outrage and surely that is the reason nothing will be allowed to happen. Yeh sab ek hi thaili ke chatte batte hain.

Nice cartoon/illustration

I liked this illustration by Ninan. Isn't is surprising that we discuss so much about stories but hardly talk about the cartoonists, illustrators. Their work must also be applauded. In the Times of India on Feb 25, there were at least three illustrations including two cartoons by Ninan.