It is said that it takes only one voice, at the right pitch to start an avalanche. But what if this landslide or snowstorm is sidetracked on the structure zone itself? What if it is curtailed with daunting dams and dodgy diversions? What if the lone rock or the gutsy ‘snowflake’ is trodden even before the inundation begins?
Mukesh Chandrakar’s mysterious death can be counted as the latest in a string of murders of ‘rational’ writers, thinkers and journalists. It is one among the many who wanted to start an avalanche for the collectively ‘oppressed’.
His voice was one among those that advocated for the common man. He was one among the many devoted and faithful watchdogs who scrutinized the workings of the state actors and brought to our attention the ‘injustices’ and the ‘shortcomings’ done by them. He was one among the many who granted us the right to access information held by authorities, thus promoting transparency and accountability in governance.
Perhaps what all that these courageous plucky bravehearts hoped for was that the avalanche started by them against tyranny, would one day snowball into a global voice of victory!
Who knew about the multiple challenges they faced at the national, regional and even the local levels? Who knew about the overwhelming influence of corporate and political entities on both print and visual media compromising their journalistic independence?
Of course, we were all party to the sleazy practices of paid news, advertorials and proliferation of fake news. We all know how it undermines credibility and erodes the ability of impartial reporting. We all were party to the hate speeches targeting them but who knew that the social media would amplify it to such a level that it would pose a direct threat to their safety and well being.
Wrapped in our own little selfish bubbles of silence and fear, we often failed to recognize the ethical challenges that revolve around the balance between reporting the truth and navigating the government imposed censorship.
The ranking of the press freedom of our country is alarming. Even though it has been quite poor, in recent years it has eroded rapidly. With 161 out of 180 nations it was the lowest ever but last year it improved by two places. We went to 159, not because of progress but rather due to declines in press freedom in other countries.
Considering its status as the world's largest democracy, when it is comparable to that of the occupied Palestinian territories; the UAE (an absolute monarchy); Turkey (a flawed democracy); and Russia (an authoritarian regime), it becomes a cause for concern. What is concerning is when journalists who are just doing their job, are targeted for working on stories linked to Organized crime, Elections, Maoist insurrection and Corruption.
But what is most alarming is when this ‘mafia’, believed to be protected and closely linked to politicians, is quick to silence all the rational voices who take too close an interest in their activities. And when the ‘act’ is done with complete impunity, it becomes a matter of grave concern.
As if the challenges of corporate and political hijacking of media institutions wasn’t enough; as if a reporter’s ability to freely report wasn’t enough; as if the concentration of media in the hands of a few individuals or entities wasn’t enough; now the journalists also have to pay a heavy price. Abbreviated as WTP (the Willingness to Pay), either for a product or a service, each choice they make is a transaction. And whether the cost is really worth it or not, only the families of the journalists who paid the price with their lives can tell us.
When you chew on the latest bone of contention, you will find that most of the news tends to focus more on the past than on the present or future. Even those dead and gone are somehow embroiled in controversies. When you further chew on the tedious and time consuming bone of thought, you will also feel sad for all the ‘foolish’ artistes who wore their hearts on their sleeves and left behind a rich legacy of art for people who don’t deserve anything beautiful.
Seriously, did any of them even imagine that the powerful ink from their pen, the valuable clay from their chisels and the colourful ideas from their palettes, will one day be taken apart by a panel not fit to judge its worth? Were they even aware that one day some so-called ‘wise’ ones will be appointed in all spheres to filter out all the wisdom from their works and focus only on the residual that is religion?
Journalism has always been cyclical, dipping during the downturns and then improving on the upswing. But not so anymore! It is terrible to watch this threatening scenario and worse still is the signal it sends out to the aspiring journalists. And yet, it would be too dramatic to assume that every voice that speaks will ultimately be silenced. For all said and done, even as journalism falls into an eclipse of uncertainty and danger, it will definitely not vanish completely.
There will be people who will have the courage to walk in the light of creative altruism. There will be those who will continue to facilitate the truth and enlighten the uninformed citizens of their democratic rights and responsibilities. And whether these rights are granted or not, they will keep up with the demands because human rights are universal principles. They are the values that empower people and ensure they are treated with dignity. And by imparting this knowledge to others, it will not only help one build self respect but also gain respect from others. Remaining silent or neutral in times of moral conflict is like getting lost in a dark tunnel of destructive selfishness.
Therefore, it is entirely up to each of us to manifest ourselves as life and not just one among the countless beings. We are all blessed with countless experiences holding a story of years together. All we need is to delve deep into our minds to see and feel the world through a unique perspective.
Actually, the world isn’t as chaotic as it seems. It only appears because the news is always focused on the chaos itself. It is up to us to stop fearing for our own survival and sanity and start focusing on a switch that can guarantee peace.
It is entirely up to us to decide if it is okay to fold our hands in our lap like a mortician and say it is time to give up. Or trigger tremors of reason and hope and pray that it will spiral into a global avalanche one day.
Nargis Natarajan is a writer and author who resides in Bhubaneswar. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.