Biggest terror attack leaves 12 security personnel dead but Indian media is not stirred: TV channels have no time for martyrs, no outrage either

This is the biggest terror strike this year. Twelve Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a blast in Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists triggered a landmine blast, which caused deaths of the security personnel. The incident occurred in Sukma district. The Maoists also looted the weapons and managed to escape.

Yet, the news of this ambush didn't stir Indian media. It was Uttar Pradesh election that was important, and hence the news didn't have much interest for media personnel.

Besides, the suspects were Maoists and the incident was in rural part of Chhattisgarh. Hence, no TRP and no interest. Neither there was any discussion about the 'dalam' involved, its leaders or their names.

Those killed included one inspector, two sub-inspectors, one head-constable and eight constables. There were no mention of the names of these martyrs in national media. No sympathy or candle light vigil or even tributes.

No reporters visited the families of these martyrs or raised questions about whether VIPs even attended funerals or not, how much compensation was announced and how martyrs' families would not lead their lives.

Political parties didn't say much. There were customary condolence messages but no protests or demonstrations. Even Opposition parties were silent--no demand for CM's resignation or even statements about poor law-and-order situation.

In the newspapers next day, it was carried but not as lead or as a major national news. Indian Express carried it in a single column. Hindustan Times probably didn't carry the report at all. At least, I couldn't find it even in brief.

A day later, most papers didn't even carry a follow-up. This is unlike the recent incident in Lucknow where a terror suspect was gunned down and it dominated prime time news. Saifullah was not accused of any killing.

Yet, the encounter made headlines and was telecast live. In sharp contrast, the biggest militant attack on security personnel, got little coverage. Online too, the few papers that carried the story, had plain coverage, based on agency reports.

Most of the headlines avoided even words like Terror or Militancy. Rather, the headlines were like, 'cops ambushed' or 'Naxal attack'. But that's a story which continues forever. That's what our media is all about. [Photo: Raipur edition of Dainik Bhaskar on March 12]

English media stories: LINK 1, Link 2, Link 3

Seven IED blasts yet it was not termed Terrorism, national media pays less attention to strikes in Assam

Serial blasts rocked Assam on Republic Day.

The banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is suspected to be behind the serial IED blasts.

Besides, there were blasts in Manipur too.

But did you hear about them?

Did you read the news or anlysis and information about it in papers?

There is little chance because TV channels didn't find it newsy enough.

National newspapers also ignored it. There were no front page reports. ULFA is a banned terror outfit. But when it is behind any explosion, its members are not called terrorists or even extremists.

The blasts are not termed as 'terror acts' either. The blasts took plcae in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo in Assam almost simultaneously, reports News 18.

CALL FOR BOYCOTT OF R-DAY!

"Militant groups had called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations in the northeastern region", the report further said. Some other papers reported the news but it didn't become a 'breaking news' at all.

Doesn't it indicate failure of BJP-led government in Assam? Were there any questions raised on law-and-order situation in North Eastern state! Any panel discussions on why situation fails to improve in Assam.

Interestingly, 'terrorism' becomes 'insurgency' in media, though ULFA is responsible for maximum number of deaths due to terror in India. Take for example this PTI report carried in The Hindu. LINK

NARROW ESCAPE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Times of India reported that, "A group of school children going for the Republic Day celebration at Dibrugarh had a miraculous escape when a bomb planted under a culvert exploded in front of them".

"In Manipur, the first explosion took place adjacent to the compound wall of a government college close to an Assam Rifles camp at Singjamei area in Imphal West. Another bomb went off near a CRPF camp at Mantripukhri a few minutes later", it further wrote.

It's not the first such incident when double standards in coverage has been witnessed. On one hand arrest of a youth on mere suspicion leads to media debates and spreading sensationalism for days. But on the other hand, even such acts don't get coverage. 

If a state has an outfit of one particular religion, even before any probe, news channels blame it and then, for days, it is repeated. On the other hand, if the state doesn't have such militancy, then organisations with cadre belonging to other religion are just not seen as terrorists or even extremists. Worse, news is suppressed, as if it is 'no major incident'.

SO MANY BANNED OUTFITS IN NORTH EAST CONTINUE TO OPERATE!

"At least seven militant outfits under the conglomerate of United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) including Ulfa (I), NSCN (K) and Corcom of Manipur had called for a boycott the Republic Day celebration in the region", reported Times of India.

"Manipur Governor Najma Heptula unfurled the tri colour amid tight security arrangements at the historic Kangla fort. In Assam, the banned anti-talk Ulfa-I exploded seven low intensity bombs at four places to mark their protest on Republic Day", the paper further wrote.

150 killed in Indore-Patna Express train disaster were victims of terrorism: Who are these terrorists?

As many as 150 persons who were killed in Indore-Patna Express train tragedy were victims of a terror attack, say investigative agencies.

A bomb was planted on the track and the blast had caused derailment and the large-scale devastation--deaths of innocent passengers.

The blast was engineered by Motilal Paswan and two others--Uma Shankar and Mukesh who had planed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), causing the fault in the tracks, reports NDTV [LINK].

They had also targeted another train but couldn't derail it, say reports. Superintendent of Police (SP), East Champaran, Jitendra Rana, is quoted in media reports about the disclosure and the suspicion that Pakistan's ISI was involved in it and money was paid through a Gulf-based Dubai resident.

After the disclosure--such a sensational news by any standards, newspapers carried the report without focusing on names. Headlines talked about ISI but not about perpetrators.

Start reading this report [LINK] and while there is kite-flying, you read paragraphs after paragraphs, but names of those arrested won't be found at all.

So someone who paid the money from foreign country is immediately seen as villain because the new story is accepted but the names of the perpetrators who executed it on ground are being hidden or attempts are made to put names at the end of the reports.

Of course, no attempts to publish photos even next day or in follow-up stories. In fact, story was out of front page after the first day. Unlike other cases when media publishes photographs of 'darinde' or 'hatyare', everyone remained soft and no attempt was made to publish information about Moti, Uma Shankar, Mukesh or even handler Brajesh Giri.

In this HT report, [LINK], where are the names, after how many paras? In several Hindi papers, front page story didn't carry these names, at all. In some, these names were at the 10th or 12 page in continuation of the story.

So why this sympathy for suspected terrorists? In a disaster of such magnitude, newspapers are reluctant to publish names of those who engineered and executed it! Doesn't it tell the sad state of journalism in India! Unless there is a Muslim name, it can't be sensational. Hence, forget words like 'terrorist' or terror suspect, the references are 'three persons', 'these men' et al.

That's how our media reports Terror. Else, even those who are not linked to any violence, and just suspected of association with a banned outfit are immediately defamed and for days their photographs are published.