Indian Muslims, a forward community: Journalists' conditioning that never let's them go beyond 'Muslim backwardness'

 

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It’s painful to write this piece. But just read these few points to understand how even statistics are interpreted in a particular way due to ‘conditioning’ and biases.

1. How many times you see headlines that say, ‘Muslim women literacy rate set to beat Hindu women in rural India now’*, ‘Percentage of illiterates among Hindus 2–1/2 times times the percent among Jains’ or ‘Sikhs, Christians ahead in literacy in particular regions, X community still lag’ or ‘Buddhists performing better than Y community in this state’.

This is a fact that Muslim women now have higher literacy rate in rural parts of the country than Hindu women. But have you seen anywhere this reported or big headlines that show this upward trend!

Also, the statistics now clearly indicate that overall [rural plus urban] literacy among women above five years is— Hindu women (69%) and Muslim women (68.1%). Quite close. Isn’t it. The Ministry of Statistics, NSS, PLFS, all reports, you can check and find it yourself.

2. Unfortunately, despite this data that is available in public space, it is the only Hindu-Muslim binary and ‘Muslims as backward’ headline appearing in papers despite so many other figures and different points.  

Now, even if Muslims were behind — moving fast or slow, the journalists rarely mention overall figure of illiterates, as it will reveal something else — almost 250 million or nearly 25 crore Hindus are illiterates.

3. In India, every data is analysed in newspapers and reported in a way that it must not show majority community in poor light or backward. When there are figures, they are picked in a way to ‘reveal less, hide more’, and also presented in a particular manner — that’s the status quo of reporting.

Perhaps, it’s due to conditioning that just this aspect or on these lines, the story on social indicators is believed to be written and rarely people try to look deep into the reports and see the changes.

4. So extrapolation, NFHS surveys & reports like PLFS or others give us a picture. Even if we tilt towards positive side and believe that figure will reduce dramatically by next Census, still around25 crore or 250 million [illiteracy] are illiterate in India. Imagine extent of the problem.

5. If a community is small, then it’s comparatively easy to catch up. Small groups have shown way. Bigger the group, the tougher it is. As per 2011, illiteracy figures were 25.8 cr and 5.42 cr for Hindu & Muslim. 2021 are estimates.

6. If you imagine a rosy picture & say 25 crore, even this is bigger than population of 190 countries, only less than China, US and India. Still, we focus on nonsense, every day discuss those issues. Politicians, Anchors want not just illiteracy but probably want to snatch our brains too.

7. Now coming to second part of the article. I didn’t want to write it but such is conditioning of journalists that I have to write and I must remind — remember, as per statistics, Hindus still have the lowest level of educational attainment of any major religious group according to international studies. Jews are at the top but Christians and Muslims are also much ahead.

8. Globally, the average is 5.6 years of schooling, and 41% of Hindus have no formal education of any kind. On average, Hindu men have 2.7 more years of schooling than Hindu women, and just over half of Hindu women (53%) have no formal schooling, compared with 29% of Hindu men.

9. Whoever owns media can make you believe anything and such is power of ‘mainstream media’, its narrative that you blindly start believing them. If someone says something, talk on statistics and look at the complete picture. 

Ideally, educational backwardness or anything should not be linked with religion. In a huge country, there are regional differences, also state support, many factors, and any ‘issue’ should be seen as just an ‘issue’, not on communal lines.

But in India, media and channels’ job is apparently just to communalise and show entire Muslim community permanently as ‘backward’, hence, when it is linked to religion all the time, we too need to explain it with statistics.

10. As a citizen in world’s biggest democracy, we must know our real situation — it shouldn’t be that we are either too self-critic, gullible and believing that ‘we are bad, we don’t want to study, our community is really against education’ or even turn over-optimist. 

11. Opportunity and state support can make a community prosper fast and taking away support can have negative affect. We must know reality, neither turn pessimist, nor self-hating, but be aware and always make efforts to move ahead. 

12. Communities that are so big that they number hundreds of million, are so easily termed ‘backward’. This sort of crass generalization, ignoring the regional differences [the regions too are huge, states that have population over 100 million and even 200 million — ranging from Maharashtra to UP and are 175 most countries of the world] and without evidence and bringing focus on all indicators, is not just careless but dangerous.

One last point — never believe media’s narrative blindly, as the social conditioning and training of most journos in news rooms [or just because they feel it is the model or style going for generations] is to present news in a fashion by cherry picking data, so that Muslims feel they are indeed ‘poorest, backward, and behind everyone else’.

*It's true now, as per latest government survey results.

5 IMPORTANT ARTICLES ON THIS ISSUE

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READ: Muslims ahead on nutrition, health indicators: Status of women, dietary discrimination in other communities

READ: Myths about Indian Muslims' backwardness: Muslims moving forward, striving to achieve despite discrimination and lack of government jobs

READ: Vilification of Muslims as a political strategy: Majoritarian tendencies and obsession with minority in Indian society

NOTE: The photo of child with skullcap is deliberately used as Indian Media has made this photo as symbol of backwardness. Though it shows how presence of maktab and madarsa ensures that even without availability of schools, Muslims do far better and get basic literacy with ease due to these institutions. 

How media uses unverified information and wild 'claims' to demonise people, leading to arrests: Islamophobia in Indian Journalism

This is a textbook case for students of journalism that how unverified information leads to severe action against people and how youth get framed and arrested.

This incident happened a few months ago--in August, 2021. A video had appeared on social media, with the claim about youth raising certain slogans and without completion of any inquiry or even forensic report, it was duly believed that the 'claim' was correct.

Much before, trial and judge giving a verdict, the papers publish and pass the claims off as absolute truth, without any mention of words like 'claim' or 'allegedly' or even bothering to approach other side to take response of those who are being demonized and blamed.

Even if someone says 'Amir Khan Zindabad' or 'Amit Bhan Zindabad', and the video is played fast, and the claim can be made that the people were raising 'some other slogan', then your ears can mislead you unless you are really careful.

But, the Hindi newspapers in Madhya Pradesh, accepted the 'claim' as headline, getting judgmental and believing that what was being claimed by certain person(s) about these youths' slogans, was correct without any verification. 

Though it has occurred in the past that claims of a 'certain slogan' raised, is used to divert attention and frame people and demonise a group or event. If you read these reports, you find that the newspapers didn't quote anyone and straight gave verdict that these chants were 'anti-national'.

Due to such irresponsible reporting and splashing the claims as 'judgment' by paper, there is pressure on administration and it creates public opinion. Hence, police too promptly register cases. People are booked under harsh sections, arrested and jailed, sometimes remaining incarcerated for months and years because of the manner in which papers create scare.

The reader who have immense faith in newspaper, don't have doubt as they feel papers always write 'verified' information. But this is not the case, always. 

In fact, the organisations that are dubbed 'fringe' in media, are the ones who have such sympathisers in news rooms that any weird claim by these orgs, are immediately accepted. For decades, this 'system' is in place and such irresponsible reporting, continues to affect families. 

How even your ears play trick

In one incident, they were chanting 'Wajid Nisaar zindabad', in UP. But when a claim is made about a controversial slogan, then those listening too felt that it could be that controversial slogan. Amid rush, video voice often makes you too believe it. 'Qazi Usman' or 'Qazi sahab' said in speed, turns into something 'else'.

The line when repeated, in unison, and at a fast speed, indeed creates confusion, due to crowd and background music. Unfortunately, such is the barrage of misinformation and  propaganda, that the sanest person would not be ready to believe that it is something else. That's power of propaganda.

That has become a system. Those close friends and persons I really trusted in journalism, who were totally unbiased I know, even they got in doubt. So, anyway. See all such cases, so don't presume guilt, proper probe, voice analysis, fast probe. 

And remember, all papers, without even talking to locals,  exactly believe the 'accusers' and without giving a thought or talking to locals, people, who are named, publish the reports. Any similar name, term in this mould, can be claimed as 'that' slogan. 

Sometimes there is tampering too and words inserted, as it happened in Delhi in the past. Papers don't and can't publish 'audio', video. They don't even say, 'allegedly chanted' or 'claims of certain slogan' but just accept any such claim as truth. It's the dark, dirty world of journalism.

REPORTING AND JOURNALISM ETHICS: WHAT MEDIA HOUSES MUST DO IN SUCH CASES

1. At least, mention that this is a 'claim'

2. When you write, do mention 'allegedly', because it is someone's claim and you aren't aware

3. There is no investigation initiated, yet, let alone completion and case hasn't gone to court, remember this when you write, you can't cook up stories sitting in office, based on third person's wild claims

4. Who is making the claim must be mentioned. You can't treat orgs that are involved in moral policing to, appear as saintly. Making allegation as serious as calling someone 'anti-national' can destroy lives, so be careful

5. Be a responsible journalist, don't act irresponsibly. Because, it affects families and your own prestige too is at stake. 

How media hides names of criminals belonging to one religion but splashes when suspects belong to another faith

 

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

It's sad that I have to write but we need to talk about it. 

It is a dark chapter in the annals of Indian journalism. 

This brutal gang rape took place in MP, iron rod was inserted. It's not that the names of the accused are not known. 

Most papers didn't publish them. English papers also didn't carry. Neither did portals, agencies.

If not first day, in follow-up you can write. But if a system has been internally devised when to publish names & photos in a big way, and when 'not'. One NBT report mentions a bit. Read carefully and you'll find, one of the accused's profession and you may realise. 

The second report below, just in one paper, had two names in the last line. Otherwise English papers and portals too ranging from Times Of India to India Today, Hindi newspapers, all concealed the names. 

Earlier papers had 'style sheets', that had to be adhered in reporting & writing. Not now but an unwritten code. Of the 10 cases, find the one that 'suits' agenda and then go all guns blazing. Not just accused, target everything, get houses razed. Else, keep mum.

Such level of deep shit that you can't even discuss. There are people who straight come from wings of the organisation that wants to propagate falsehoods, create a narrative that 'criminals' are only of one kind & 'we' can't be bad. They are in newsrooms, affect others' thinking.

Each day, they have worked like maniacs on the ground, whichever newsroom they entered, they ensured that even after they leave, it will continue. Such smart ways that even those who have balanced views, change, after interaction.

People take lightly or don't realise, but within states it has huge impact. It has power to change your mind, your opinion, you begin to view things differently when the medium that makes you watch, is totally compromised. Being done for long, has changed perceptions.

Doesn't take much effort, a person who is ideologically compromised, can do this, easily. The least needed is to carry or not carry names of accused in first, second paragraphs or carry even in intro, sub-headline, box or just take in the end, 'continuation' depending on 'names'.

This so cheap and 'ghatiya' that one doesn't even want to rake it up. Ironically, if you say it, you are seen as someone who has a 'different eye' and unnecessarily getting into. 

But this needs to be mentioned, anyway. #RadioRwanda was not just one day exercise.

Some persons who were really balanced, sane. I saw them change because of those around them. 

Certain benefits, things you get from the regime, it also makes you so comfortable that they too don't realise how they slide, get swayed and finally, are 'compromised'. 

Otherwise, names are published in the first paragraph itself, repeated, sometimes in sub-headlines or headlines and boxes. Photographs are published in big way, which causes anger. Then certain wings demand action, demolition of house of suspects. 

But when you don't even publish names, do it so selectively, you want to create a perception that just persons from one community are involved in crimes and this is extreme hatred, creating divide in society and paving way for fascism. Enough for now.

LINK to NBT report: Gang rape in Sindhi, accused arrested

How media fails to take up serious cases of rights abuse, 'normalizes' acts like illegal detention and other atrocities

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

A man was suspected of stealing a cell phone. Now, in order to force him to surrender, police brought his sister to police station, which was basically illegal detention of a woman who had nothing to do with her relative's actions.

She got traumatized and consumed poison, had to be rushed to the hospital. In case of VIPs--the rich and well-connected, this doesn't happen that other family members are forcibly taken to police station to put pressure--a sort of blackmail. 

Even in extremely heinous crimes, this doesn't happen that if an influential man is wanted, the police would take the kin to police station. But this is very common in case of ordinary citizens, poor, those with no connections. That's the difference, how law is misused.

The particular case is just an example. Now, the woman, is in hospital. Her brother, Vinod, is in police custody. The family members said that cops made the woman sign on blank paper & it had 'supurdnama' written on it. 

Later, when this was revealed, policemen had the audacity to say, 'we didn't beat her' & 'we let her go before sunset', etc etc. Imagine, they are not apologetic or worried about any action, in fact, they plainly state the fact--'we didn't beat her', as if illegal detention was okay. 

This is a regular practice. Just that someone is poor, their relatives are picked up and cops use the term, 'baithaya hai' for detaining the person. The fact is that no one else can be made to pay for someone's offence. 

In many cases a person is innocent and the charge if not correct but due to women relative or a family member taken to police station and illegally detained, the person agrees to appear, surrender and get arrested. No power can change it on ground.

As media doesn't report it, society doesn't know that such practices are illegal, common 

The worst aspect is that for general society, it is like 'how can it happen', 'we never knew'. Increasingly, these reports don't get published in big editions, just buried in regional page, unless someone dies. It is accepted in newspapers, 'ye to chalta hai', so ignore it.

The decline in standards of newspapers and the kind of editors coming as Editors who have little field experience & more happy to befriend one or two bureaucrats & consider it their lifetime achievement, even the basic, mild critical reports have no space in newspapers.

Basically, you can't even make people realise what's happening and the extent of the rot, if newspapers and media stop publishing it. Recently, a senior journalist who was being considered for the post of chief editor, was asked 'liasoning to kar lenge na' [You'll be able to liaison...?]. 

Certain dealings are expected in the interest of the media house owner. However, that's another aspect which needs a separate long post. Here the issue is that as media doesn't adequately report such instances and due to several reasons local journalists feel that it is the norm, the society remains oblivious to the extent of such acts and everyone gets to known only when they have to personally face it. 

Communalism in Indian Media: How Hindi newspapers, regional media created 'Love Jihad' bogey

When a Muslim youth changed his name & embraced Hinduism, the papers praised the act and write--religion no bar, love wins. 

Otherwise, even if there is no conversion & just a girl and boy with different faiths, marry, it's termed 'Love Jihad' & crime & conspiracy. 

More than politicians, it's the local media that is responsible for communalizing, spreading poison & hate. 

Strange it may seem to an outsider, but this entire campaign and propaganda against inter-faith marriages gets real push from media. 

In fact, most of the times, even if politicians want to avoid after a couple of days, the guys with the mike would insist and still ask the same question again & again, coming across the politician at his bungalow, at a meeting, on way to a public event, at Airport, or anywhere else.

If you want to seriously write about inter-faith marriages, you can get annual figures of your district, but no newspaper would even do this much. They will just peddle propaganda, theories and conspiracies. Not information from data regarding marriages under Special Marriage Act, records in the Collectorate. 

But the level of journalism is such that any marriage in which it's a Hindu girl marrying a Muslim boy, it gives heart burns to journos, and they on their own start mentioning that it is a case of 'Love Jihad', though the term has no legal basis.

India's investigating agencies have said it that there is no such concept and even a Union minister made it clear in the Parliament. However, the right-wing agenda continues. A 'Hindu girl going to a Muslim boy' is taken as a case of 'defeat', irrespective of the fact that many Muslim girls too marry Hindu boys.

Just see how without data or statistics, propaganda makes people believe that there are more marriages and 'our girls' are being snatched. And, all such theories, conspiracies get legitimized through newsrooms in regional papers. If you're in a newsroom, you have a responsibility.

In a society, where there are people from diverse sections, there will always be some inter-faith marriages. If you even want to debate it in a secular state, at least, talk on figures. But this is not even mentioned in papers. 

The journalists become representative of not just a religion, they take upon themselves the task to do moral policing, act like right-wing fringe and flag-bearers of majoritarian fascism, blaming Muslims and giving this shameful perception that 'Muslims deliberately lure Hindu girls' or as if 'Hindu girls are eager to go to Muslim boys' (sic).